|
The Rupert Hamer Green Wedge Legacy
Could I add a few words to the current controversy over Melbourne's green wedges. My arguments are not about money, so perhaps they have little weight today, and of course I am attached to the ideas of my late husband, Dick Hamer. I believe that his ideas were firmly based on a system of city planning that emphasises restraint, for the purpose of allowing families a better choice for themselves and for the environment - which is now all the more important. We should also bear in mind that any encroachment into our green spaces is irreversible. Speculators, of course, will disagree, but remaining faithful to the original intention of the green wedges would give us all a more disciplined, sustainable and welcoming city for future generations. Lady April Hamer, Alphington (source:The Age 5/8/2011) |
Go to...
Green Wedge HistoryPlanning historyBarragunda BreweryWhy trees? |
Quote: "A verdict on the Baillieu government's metropolitan strategy cannot be given until all the details are known. That only property developers are applauding loudly at this stage, however, is cause for concern"
The Age 31/7/2011 Read the rest of this article here
The Age 31/7/2011 Read the rest of this article here
Green Wedges. What are they?
Green Wedges are the non-urban areas of Metropolitan Melbourne often referred to as Melbourne’s lungs
They safeguard agricultural uses and preserve rural and scenic landscapes, non-renewable resources and natural areas including water catchments. They also play an important part in Melbourne's open space network and provide opportunities for tourism and recreation. The Green Wedges include areas that have high environmental, landscape, built or Koori heritage values. These non-urban areas also contain infrastructure that supports urban areas, such as airports and quarries
Green wedges are active, living areas
They are also an irresistible attraction to developers, who see in them the opportunity to make large profits from commercial residential developments in attractive rural settings
Green wedges have a long history. They were first identified by the Board of Works in 1971 and a far-sighted Hamer Liberal Government in the 1970s ran with the concept. They were expanded in Melbourne 2030 to include other non-urban areas surrounding metropolitan Melbourne (source)
The green wedges fulfill a range of specific roles that include:
They safeguard agricultural uses and preserve rural and scenic landscapes, non-renewable resources and natural areas including water catchments. They also play an important part in Melbourne's open space network and provide opportunities for tourism and recreation. The Green Wedges include areas that have high environmental, landscape, built or Koori heritage values. These non-urban areas also contain infrastructure that supports urban areas, such as airports and quarries
Green wedges are active, living areas
They are also an irresistible attraction to developers, who see in them the opportunity to make large profits from commercial residential developments in attractive rural settings
Green wedges have a long history. They were first identified by the Board of Works in 1971 and a far-sighted Hamer Liberal Government in the 1970s ran with the concept. They were expanded in Melbourne 2030 to include other non-urban areas surrounding metropolitan Melbourne (source)
The green wedges fulfill a range of specific roles that include:
- providing opportunities for agricultural uses, such as market gardening, viticulture and broad hectare farming
- preserving rural and scenic landscapes
- preserving conservation areas close to where people live
- preserving renewable and non-renewable resources and natural areas (such as water catchments)
- providing and safeguarding sites for infrastructure that supports urban areas (such as airports and sewage plants)
- allowing industries such as sand and stone extraction to operate close to major markets
- enabling the development of networks of open space
- providing opportunities for tourism and recreation (source)
The Mornington Peninsula and Westernport Green Wedges
Protecting our Green Wedge. New threats from a new government?
The new Victorian coalition government has announced a "review" of the Green Wedges
To read more about this most recent threat to the system of Green Wedges, see this Age article and this profile of the minister and his views
This site shows a series of maps showing the attrition of Melbourne's green open space over the last ten years
To read more about this most recent threat to the system of Green Wedges, see this Age article and this profile of the minister and his views
This site shows a series of maps showing the attrition of Melbourne's green open space over the last ten years
A return to the days when councils were stacked with real estate agents?
From The Age letters page 1/7/2011
Matthew Guy is rivaling his predecessor to be the state's worst planning minister. Where Justin Madden restricted his land grab to four green wedges and promised no more urban growth boundary expansion in his lifetime, Guy threatens all 12 green wedges, by inviting councils to move the boundary and by encouraging urban uses on green wedge farmland (''Man with a plan'', Focus, 24/6). Guy is not planning for where food will be grown for future generations or how to meet his government's greenhouse gas reduction pledges, while encouraging more suburban sprawl. He says unlocking green wedge land will reduce property values, though it didn't when Madden did that last year. Guy says he will rezone land only at local councils' requests, which means citizens who care about green wedges need to talk to their councillors - or perhaps run for council.
Harry van Moorst, Werribee
Matthew Guy is rivaling his predecessor to be the state's worst planning minister. Where Justin Madden restricted his land grab to four green wedges and promised no more urban growth boundary expansion in his lifetime, Guy threatens all 12 green wedges, by inviting councils to move the boundary and by encouraging urban uses on green wedge farmland (''Man with a plan'', Focus, 24/6). Guy is not planning for where food will be grown for future generations or how to meet his government's greenhouse gas reduction pledges, while encouraging more suburban sprawl. He says unlocking green wedge land will reduce property values, though it didn't when Madden did that last year. Guy says he will rezone land only at local councils' requests, which means citizens who care about green wedges need to talk to their councillors - or perhaps run for council.
Harry van Moorst, Werribee
Go to the Green Wedges Coalition website to read more about the latest threats
Read recent news articles on this subject in the Melbourne Age here and here
Have your say by contacting the Minister here
This map shows the expansion of the Urban Growth Boundary, as passed into law in July 2010 by the previous Labor government, some of which swallowed up former Green Wedge land
Read recent news articles on this subject in the Melbourne Age here and here
Have your say by contacting the Minister here
This map shows the expansion of the Urban Growth Boundary, as passed into law in July 2010 by the previous Labor government, some of which swallowed up former Green Wedge land
New urban growth boundaries, Melbourne 2011
The map below shows the Green Wedge boundaries as of December 2010
Use the Fullscreen function for a more detailed view
Use the Fullscreen function for a more detailed view
This map shows where the urban growth boundaries are exerting pressure on the Green Wedges
Melbourne's Green Wedges and the Urban Growth Boundary
Significant environmental resources and constraints
Current Peninsula designated growth areas (download a higher resolution map below the picture)
Peninsula designated growth areas
| mornington_peninsula_growth_areas.png |
Report to council on the Mornington Peninsula Green Wedge Management Plan progress so far...
| MPGWAP report dec 2010.pdf |
Maintaining Melbourne’s Green Wedges. Planning Policy and the future of Melbourne’s green belt, Buxton M and Goodman R (2002)
| Maintaining Melbourne's Green Wedges.pdf |
