History
Melbourne's planning policies have tried to protect non-urban areas for over 40 years.
1970s
- The Planning Policies for the Melbourne Metropolitan Region (1971) report identified the that the values of this land should be preserved:
“Land use, resources, terrain, vegetation and habitat vary extensively throughout the non-urban areas. It is intended that the basic attributes and resources contained within the areas shall be preserved to a maximum degree, and that environment management policies shall be specifically oriented towards this objective.”
- The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works introduced Statements of Planning Policy to formally protect the economic, social, environmental and landscape values of key non-urban areas, including:
- Dandenong Ranges
- Mornington Peninsula
- Western Port
- Yarra Valley.
1980s
- Policies such as Shaping Melbourne's Future (1987) reinforced protection for non-urban areas.
- New metropolitan planning schemes were introduced in 1989:
- the regional component of all metropolitan planning schemes was amended to incorporate a policy statement for non-urban areas.
1990s
- Living Suburbs (1995) didn't focus on green wedges, but it included objectives to protect the non-urban values of these areas.
- A standardised framework based on the Victoria Planning Provisions (VPP) was introduceed as part of reforms to the Victorian planning system in the mid 1990s.
2002
- The term green wedges was formally recognised in the Melbourne 2030: Planning for Sustainable Growth metropolitan strategy.
- An urban growth boundary was introduced to manage outward expansion.
- Green wedges were enshrined in legislation and the Victoria Planning Provisions.
2011
- The government established new localised statements of planning policy for four key special areas within Victoria.
- Two are located in green wedge areas: Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley.
Page last updated: 08/05/19