Good evening all,
As the title suggests. This was a response to a question posed to the Camberwell CRG (Community Reference Group). This information has not been shared with any other Activity Centre CRG.
Fundamental Concerns with the Current Approach:
1. False Premises and Misleading Claims
Premier Allan's assertion that this is about "gentle density" contradicts Planning Minister Kilkenny's refusal to rule out 20-storey developments. The characterisation of community concerns as "blocking" ignores the government's own Victoria in Future 2023 data, which shows natural population growth patterns that don't justify such dramatic intervention. The data shows existing development patterns are already delivering increased density, with apartments and townhouses making up 90% of new development in middle-ring suburbs.
2. Process and Consultation Failures
The government's own PSP framework outlines mandatory requirements for major planning changes:
- Pre-commencement engagement with stakeholders
- Technical studies with community review
- Co-design workshops with affected communities
- Issues elimination and resolution processes
- Multiple validation steps before implementation
The current Activity Centre Program bypasses all these established protocols. While the PSP process requires "Place Shaping" with community input before any planning begins, the government has instead announced sweeping changes without following its own established processes.
3. Democracy and Planning Process
The removal of resident rights to notification, objection and appeal represents an unprecedented attack on community participation. The "crash through" approach contradicts evidence from VIF2023 showing that population growth will be gradual (1.2-2.2% annually) and could be accommodated through existing planning frameworks.
The government's dismissal of proper process is particularly concerning given their own framework requires:
- Shared vision development
- Confirmation of key issues and opportunities
- Clarity of non-negotiables
- Generally agreed place-based structure
- Multiple stages of stakeholder engagement
4. Infrastructure and Services Gap
VIF2023 data reveals alarming infrastructure gaps in the government's approach. The Suburban Rail Loop will serve only 70,000 of 241,000 new homes in relevant municipalities, while consuming the bulk of available transport funding. Some areas are projected to grow by up to 6% annually (e.g., Mitchell Shire) without corresponding infrastructure investment. Most proposed development areas lack adequate public transport, ensuring car dependency and increased congestion.
5. Scale and Impact
The government's approach ignores its own demographic projections. VIF2023 shows household sizes naturally decreasing (from 2.52 to 2.43 persons per household by 2051) and an ageing population requiring specific housing options - not necessarily high-rise developments. The projection of 400,000 people aged 85+ by 2051 demands thoughtful planning, not blanket rezoning.
What we need:
Evidence-Based Planning
The government's own data contradicts the need for such dramatic intervention. VIF2023 shows housing approvals have consistently exceeded dwelling demand. The 18,156 apartments and townhouses approved but not commenced last year demonstrate that the issue isn't planning restrictions but construction barriers like labour shortages and material costs. We need policies that address these real barriers rather than destroying neighbourhood character.
Meaningful Community Participation
When residents lose their voice in planning decisions, we see poorer outcomes - from overlooking and overshadowing to traffic congestion and parking problems that could have been avoided through proper consultation. The government's characterisation of legitimate community concern as "blocking" contradicts its own PSP framework, which explicitly requires community co-design and multiple stages of engagement.
Infrastructure Before Density
VIF2023 projects Regional Victoria will grow by 650,000 people by 2051, yet infrastructure investment remains heavily skewed toward select metropolitan areas. The failure to guarantee infrastructure before increasing density has proven disastrous in other developments. Schools become overcrowded, medical services are stretched beyond capacity, and roads grid-locked. This approach creates not just inconvenience, but genuine hardship for future residents.
Strategic Growth Management
VIF2023 demonstrates that Melbourne can accommodate future growth through measured, appropriate development. The projections show some regional areas losing population, highlighting the need for a balanced growth strategy rather than forced metropolitan densification. The data supports strategic development of already-approved sites and specific areas where increased density makes sense, rather than a blanket rezoning that threatens every suburban street.
Premier Allan's statement that "the status quo needs to change" is correct - but her solution threatens to create more problems than it solves. The experience of Docklands demonstrates the risks of giving developers free rein without proper oversight and infrastructure planning. We need genuine reform that addresses housing affordability while protecting what makes Melbourne liveable. This requires honest dialogue with communities, not dismissing legitimate concerns as "blocking."
As communities that will bear the direct impact of these changes, we are urging MPs to pause this rushed process and engage in meaningful consultation with residents, councils and planning experts to develop an approach that truly serves Melbourne's future.
The current path risks irreversible damage to our city's character and liveability, while failing to address the real barriers to housing accessibility and affordability. Our suburbs deserve better than this heavy-handed, top-down approach that threatens to forever alter the character of our cherished neighbourhoods.
This is not an inter-generational argument, this is not NIMBY vs YIMBY argument. This is addressing the elephant in the room regarding AFFORDABLE HOUSING none of which these developer led monstrosities are going to be.
Can you make a change? YES!
Contact your MPs' offices to convey to the planning minister:
- Your request for a community forum
- Concerns regarding the consultation process
- A question(s) to be answered
john.berger@parliament.vic.gov.au
ryan.batchelor@parliament.vic.gov.au
Here are some links to better explain the impact:
https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2024/nov/tree-canopy-study
https://lighterfootprints.org/camberwell-activity-centre-proposal/
Thank you everyone, please continue to talk to each other.