Green Wedges Coalition - overall priority issues and actions
The Green Wedge Coalition (GWC) in its submission to the State Government on Plan Melbourne Refresh Discussion Paper (October 2015) strongly asserted that what is needed in revision of Plan Melbourne for the future of the Green Wedges is:
- Recognition of the Green Wedges as a planning entity in the strategic planning for the future of Melbourne;
- Achievement of a permanent Urban Growth Boundary, with no further provision for expansion of the present UGB;
- A commitment to maintaining the rural open landscape of the Green Wedges;
- A review of the Green Wedge, Green Wedge A and Rural Conservation Zones.
- Prevention of the alienation of land used for productive agriculture and nature conservation
- Greater recognition of the need to protect the natural and cultural resources.
- Increase support for individual land holders and community organisations to protect and enhance the Green Wedges.
Plan Melbourne refresh has now entered the stage for the development of the final report and the State Government website states that a revised Plan Melbourne will be released in mid 2016 and incorporated into Planning Schemes.
The GWC is maintaining a watching brief on the development of the Plan Melbourne (2016) and will continue to pursue major issues identified in our submission.
This document provides a summary for each major issues of the nature of the issues, a brief background, and the current status of action by the GWC.
It also includes two addition issues relating to land use planning that involve maintaining a watching brief of proposed planning scheme amendments that may impact on the Green Wedges and need to increase community awareness of and involvement in the process of the regular reviews of municipal planning schemes.
