PLANNING Minister Matthew Guy has performed a policy backflip to protect the Maribyrnong River corridor from inappropriate development.
Tighter planning controls introduced on Monday will lead to height restrictions and river setbacks as well as rules governing vegetation removal along the river.
The promise marks a reversal from the government’s position earlier this month when Mr Guy’s spokeswoman, Rachel Obradovic, told the Weekly the minister had no such plans.
The Weekly had questioned Mr Guy’s commitment to protecting the Yarra River while he had failed to outline similar controls for the Maribyrnong.
Mr Guy said this week the new planning controls would be the “strongest ever for the two river corridors”.
“The Maribyrnong River is the greatest natural asset of Melbourne’s western suburbs and it must be protected from inappropriate development,” he said.
Amendment VC96, gazetted on Monday, gives planning protection to the Maribyrnong and Yarra rivers as the two key inland waterways of Melbourne.
Public space along the river must be maintained and removal of vegetation will be discouraged or offset.
“VC96 will recognise the environmental, landscape and cultural values of the Maribyrnong River as well as its aesthetic, open space, recreation and tourism importance,” Mr Guy said. The rules will apply to all new development, including the 3000-dwelling redevelopment of the 128-hectare former Defence Explosives Factory site in Maribyrnong.
Under the changes:
■ A new “river corridors” clause will be inserted into state planning policy, giving extra weight to the significance of the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers.
■ Buildings must not exceed mandatory maximum height limits, which will start at nine metres in Boroondara and be determined on a case-by-case basis for the cities, including Maribyrnong, Moonee Valley and Brimbank.
■ Projects must be set back far enough from the water to ensure public space is maintained (although the government has not revealed a specific limit).
■Additional vegetation should form part of future proposals, with the removal of all remnant vegetation “avoided, minimised and offset”.
Maribyrnong and other councils will introduce the new rules into their planning over coming months.
Maribyrnong CEO Vince Haining said the council welcomed the additional protection.
“Getting the right mix of development, amenity and environmental protection along the Maribyrnong River is a matter of critical importance for this council,” he said.
Boroondara Council has led the way with a ban on new riverside buildings more than nine metres high. —With The Age
