Victorian Urban Sprawl/Green Wedge Destruction Protest
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June 21, 2010Tomorrow, 22 June 2010, Protectors of Public Lands Victoria (PPL Vic), the Green Wedges Coalition and Planning Backlash will hold a protest rally at 12.45 for a 1pm start on the steps of Parliament to say ‘No’ to VC67 Planning Amendment.
Planning Amendment VC 67
It is expected that tomorrow afternoon Planning Minister Justin Madden will put a resolution to the Upper House for ratification of VC 67 Planning Amendment, to approve extension of Melbourne’s urban growth boundary. This will involve the alienation of Green Wedges.
See VC 67 planning amendment and maps showing the new Urban Growth Boundary and affected shires here.
WHERE Was The Transparent Process/Community Discussion?
The PPL Vic says
“In order to action his planning blueprint for ‘Melbourne @5 million’ Premier Brumby has to find land for another 284, 000 new homes in the next 20 years to cope with the Government generated population boom. The State Government is determined to extend the Urban Growth Boundary to facilitate rezoning vast areas of rural land as residential and with this end in mind proposes to amend the Melbourne Planning Scheme. Planning Minister Madden has refused to look at vacant land or brown field sites within the existing UGB. Additionally he has refused to adopt any measures to deter developers from “land banking.” He has broken the promises made by former Premier Bracks that the UGB would never be changed nor would Green Wedges be alienated or touched..
There is a major community revolt over extension of the Urban Growth Boundary which will signify growth of urban sprawl, destruction of Green Wedges and decimation of arable food producing land. Plus there is community fury over the well hidden, previously unpublicised provisions of Clause 12 of the Planning Amendment. These spell high rise residential development along tram, bus and light rail transport corridors plus around train stations and the go-ahead for the E6 freeway reservation. These will change the face of Melbourne forever and destroy our rural surrounds. The rally will ask the Greens, Coalition and DLP member to vote ‘no’ to VC 67..
We vigorously oppose… growth areas on the fringe of Melbourne outside the existing boundaries…(it will) destroy the environment and wildlife; result in loss of biodiversity; and loss of arable land for food production. This will inevitably increase car dependency; worsen Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change with land clearance, unsustainable housing and reliance on road transport..
Concealed in a clause in this planning amendment is provision to allow high rise residential development along tram, bus and light rail routes.. This will see the evolution of concrete corridors with heat islands, wind tunnel effects and put neighbourhoods at risk of flash flooding with impermeable street surfaces. Where are the open spaces and parks for rest and recreation as advocated in the Government’s much publicised ‘Healthy Parks Healthy People’ doctrine? The Sunday Age has revealed serious health risks to people living 500 m within major roads, including asthma in children. Hence the Government will be putting at risk the health of a large section of the community.”
Some Of What The Age Says
“Recently The Age, with the help of city leaders and planning experts, identified enough land in Melbourne to accommodate the extra 600,000 homes that Madden insists we must make space for in the next 20 years. The land was not outside the existing growth boundary, it was inside: unused Crown land, opportunities along tram lines, tracts of inner-city land, space at Docklands, old council depots and railyards.”
For more info contact: Julianne Bell Mobile 0408 022 408 Brian Walters SC Mobile 0411 020 967
What are the OTHER options? Are taxpayers to see the discussion papers??
3 Comments
What are people thinking by wanting to live in the urban sprawl.
High priced post stamp size land sandwiched among other houses, poor if any public transport, waisting hours behind the wheel on jam packed roads just to go to and from work, crowded schools and parking problems to drop of the kids along busy roads, worry about child safety, difficulty at locating and entering sporting facilities, gyms and heated pools, lengthy drives to go fishing, visit wineries, and other relaxing venues.
WHEN for around $2600 – $3400 or more or less on land varying from 1/4 (1000sqM) to 1/2 to 1 or 2 acres or more. 1 hour to CBD by train (commuting sprinter) with prebooked seat play cards, scrabble or catch up with work on your laptop. Kids walk or bike or ride to well established schools and sporting facilities. Rural communities look out and look after each other and horror upon horror neighbours even talk to each other and worse of all even swap their home grown chemical free produce. After work a short drive or walk or bike to drop in a line, sample the latest drop, a countary at the local pub in front of a real log fire, a spot of golf or tennis or join the local footy or net ball or the CFA, etc, etc. No parking problems at any venue or frustrated drive to get there. Relax and enjoy life after the days work.
An hour to 75 min. drive north on the open freeway will get you a substantial house on heaps of land room for 1/2 the price or less that you pay in the urban sprawl.
Ye gotta be nuts to live in the sprawl.
I agree with the above totally, Mr Brumby seems to have no regard for the community at all and should be removed as negligent in his duty of care to the public of Victoria. I live on the coast 5 hrs from Melbourne, thank God, and did grow up in the Eltham area of Melbourne. This was totally countryside when we lived there, and has been developed alot, it still remains pretty as the trees have been left and the undulating hills but again its hectic and stressful, all of Melbourne is and breeds aggression in the people who live and commute there, people are in so much bother with health,finances, survival and the government just go on creating more, LEAVE THE OUTSKIRTS OF MELBOURNE ALONE!
Our government cares nothing for environmental values, conservation or sustainability. Their intention to build the Peninsula Link freeway by trashing of a significant remnant flora and fauna area is typical of their disregard for the law and decency. Their heavy handed tactics of the use of 100 mounted police against gentle activists, many of them older people, is a disgrace. The freeway is about making the Peninsula area more accessible for property developers and they can continue with their Melbourne@5 million agenda! Our Brumby government is guilty of undemocratic actions and lawless vandalism. They have taken the law unto themselves and have been hijacked by the property developers and the growth lobby. Birds, frogs and vegetation are simply “collateral damage” to growth!