The History of the Green Wedges – The Last 40 Years
By Chris Curtis (source)
The 1971 Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works Framework had very clearly defined growth corridors, stretching some distance – more than 40 kilometres in some cases – from the central city and distinct green wedges separating those development corridors. The green wedges were extensive and in most cases wide.
In 1974, the MMBW released a revised Framework Plan. It retained the 1971 plan’s corridors and green wedges, but made some changes to the green wedge boundaries. In overall shape it was almost identical.
In 1976, the government identified preferred development areas and reduced the size of the development corridors; e.g., the Melton corridor disappeared and Melton was identified as a satellite town.
In 1981, the government decided to focus growth on consolidation within the existing urban area, but the overall shape of metropolitan Melbourne remained the same as it had been under the MMBW’s 1971 plan, with the exception that Melton continued the 1976 revision as a satellite town, not part of a growth corridor. This new approach introduced district centres and dual occupancy as of right, the latter creating considerable controversy at the time. However, the green wedges remained intact as conservation and farming areas.
Between 1996 and 2002, different governments removed some 40 square kilometres of land from the green wedges and added them to the development corridors.
In 2002, the government decided to legislate for an urban growth boundary. Prior to this legislation, further extensions of urban areas were at the discretion of the government of the day. Under the new law, any such extensions would require the approval of both Houses of Parliament. The legislation was passed in 2003.
In 2005, Parliament took another 110 square kilometres of land from the green wedges and put them inside the urban growth boundary.
In 2010, Parliament, with the support of both government and opposition, passed a law taking another 436 square kilometres from the green wedges and putting them inside the urban growth boundary, though 150 square kilometres of this land were designated as grassland reserves. The extra urban areas are on the north, south-east and west of Melbourne.
A clockwise historical tour of the various plans for Metropolitan Melbourne over the past 57 years shows the following (using the 1971 plan’s names for the corridors and green wedges and using the terminology from the years given):
Werribee South Green Wedge: rural (1954), special protection required (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban (2010).
Werribee Development Corridor: rural (1954), urban (1967), urban (1971), urban (1974), urban, but much shorter development corridor (1976), urban, all the way to Little River (1981), urban, but shorter (2002), urban and enlarged (2010).
Derrimut Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban, but much smaller and no longer looking like a wedge (2010).
Melton Development Corridor: rural (1954), rural, except Melton identified as a separate urban township (1967), urban, with Melton no longer identified as a separate urban township (1971), urban (1974), urban and non-urban, with Melton again identified as a separate urban township (1976), urban and non-urban, with Melton still identified as a separate urban township (1981), urban and non-urban, with Melton still identified as a separate urban township (2002), urban, with Melton no longer identified as a separate urban township again (2010).
Calder Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural, with some areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban, but smaller (2010).
Sunbury Development “Corridor” (actually a satellite city): outside planning area (1954), urban as separate township (1967), urban as a separate township (1971), urban as a separate township and slightly bigger than in 1971 (1974), urban as a separate township (1976), urban as a separate township (1981), urban as a separate township, (2002) urban as a larger separate township (2010).
Merri Development Corridor: rural, except Craigieburn as a separate urban township (1954), urban (1967), urban, with Craigieburn no longer identified as a separate urban township (1971), urban (1974), non-urban (1976), urban, extending past Craigieburn (1981), urban, but shorter (2002,) urban, but longer again (2010).
Woodstock Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), mostly gone (2010).
Plenty Development Corridor: rural, except Epping a separate town (1954), some urban, some rural, with some areas requiring special protection and with Whittlesea identified as a separate urban township (1967), urban, with Whittlesea no longer identified as a separate urban township (1971), urban (1974), urban (1976), urban (1981), urban, rural and parks, with Whittlesea identified as a separate urban township again (2002), urban and non-urban, with Whittlesea still identified as a separate urban township (2010).
Kinglake-Yarra Green Wedge: rural, with some small separate towns, such as Warrandyte, inside it (1954), rural, with some areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban, with some small separate towns (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban, with some small separate towns (2010).
Lilydale Development Corridor: urban (1954) urban (1967) urban (1971) urban (1974) urban (1976) urban (1981) urban (2002) urban (2010)
Dandenongs Green Wedge: rural (1954) rural, rural, with large areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban, with some small separate towns (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban, with some small separate towns (2010).
Berwick Development Corridor: urban as far as Dandenong, but not as far as Berwick (1954), urban, with Cranbourne identified as a separate urban township (1967), urban, extended beyond Berwick and, with another extension to Cranbourne (1971), urban beyond Berwick and to Cranbourne (1974), urban (1976), urban (1981), urban with the Berwick corridor extended eastwards and with the Cranbourne adjunct corridor thickened (2002), urban, with the Cranbourne adjunct corridor still thickened (2010).
Cranbourne Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural, rural, with some areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban, (1976) rural and parks (1981), rural (2002), non-urban (2010).
Springvale Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural, with large areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981,) rural and parks, but encroached on by the development corridors either side of it (2002), non-urban (2010).
Frankston Development Corridor: thinly urban (1954), urban (1967), urban (1971), urban (1974), urban (1976), urban (1981), urban and enlarged (2002), urban (2010).
Green wedges exist to provide breaks between urban land, to make the countryside more accessible, to protect significant landscape areas and to protect wildlife. Despite the intentions of planners of any time, other forces can make changes – and this is what we see when we look at almost a century of planning in Melbourne.
References
“Half the City will be green areas”, The Sun, 30/11/1971
“The plan”, The Sun, 30/11/1971
Living City, No. 10, MMBW, Spring-Summer 1971
Dual Occupancy and its Impact on Metropolitan Growth in Melbourne (1986-1992), Kathryn Mitchell, Master of Arts in Town Planning, Victoria University of Technology, 1999
Maintaining Melbourne’s Green Wedges, Michael Buxton and Robin Goodman, School of Social Science and Planning – RMIT University, December 2002
Land shortage, price hike link a myth, claims academic, Simon Johanson, The Age, 6/12/2010
Green land cut back as Melbourne grows much bigger , Jason Dowling, The Age, 29/7/2010
Planning – a recent history, August 8, 2009
Melbourne's urban growth boundary settled - Planning Minister media release 2003
The 1971 Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works Framework had very clearly defined growth corridors, stretching some distance – more than 40 kilometres in some cases – from the central city and distinct green wedges separating those development corridors. The green wedges were extensive and in most cases wide.
In 1974, the MMBW released a revised Framework Plan. It retained the 1971 plan’s corridors and green wedges, but made some changes to the green wedge boundaries. In overall shape it was almost identical.
In 1976, the government identified preferred development areas and reduced the size of the development corridors; e.g., the Melton corridor disappeared and Melton was identified as a satellite town.
In 1981, the government decided to focus growth on consolidation within the existing urban area, but the overall shape of metropolitan Melbourne remained the same as it had been under the MMBW’s 1971 plan, with the exception that Melton continued the 1976 revision as a satellite town, not part of a growth corridor. This new approach introduced district centres and dual occupancy as of right, the latter creating considerable controversy at the time. However, the green wedges remained intact as conservation and farming areas.
Between 1996 and 2002, different governments removed some 40 square kilometres of land from the green wedges and added them to the development corridors.
In 2002, the government decided to legislate for an urban growth boundary. Prior to this legislation, further extensions of urban areas were at the discretion of the government of the day. Under the new law, any such extensions would require the approval of both Houses of Parliament. The legislation was passed in 2003.
In 2005, Parliament took another 110 square kilometres of land from the green wedges and put them inside the urban growth boundary.
In 2010, Parliament, with the support of both government and opposition, passed a law taking another 436 square kilometres from the green wedges and putting them inside the urban growth boundary, though 150 square kilometres of this land were designated as grassland reserves. The extra urban areas are on the north, south-east and west of Melbourne.
A clockwise historical tour of the various plans for Metropolitan Melbourne over the past 57 years shows the following (using the 1971 plan’s names for the corridors and green wedges and using the terminology from the years given):
Werribee South Green Wedge: rural (1954), special protection required (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban (2010).
Werribee Development Corridor: rural (1954), urban (1967), urban (1971), urban (1974), urban, but much shorter development corridor (1976), urban, all the way to Little River (1981), urban, but shorter (2002), urban and enlarged (2010).
Derrimut Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban, but much smaller and no longer looking like a wedge (2010).
Melton Development Corridor: rural (1954), rural, except Melton identified as a separate urban township (1967), urban, with Melton no longer identified as a separate urban township (1971), urban (1974), urban and non-urban, with Melton again identified as a separate urban township (1976), urban and non-urban, with Melton still identified as a separate urban township (1981), urban and non-urban, with Melton still identified as a separate urban township (2002), urban, with Melton no longer identified as a separate urban township again (2010).
Calder Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural, with some areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban, but smaller (2010).
Sunbury Development “Corridor” (actually a satellite city): outside planning area (1954), urban as separate township (1967), urban as a separate township (1971), urban as a separate township and slightly bigger than in 1971 (1974), urban as a separate township (1976), urban as a separate township (1981), urban as a separate township, (2002) urban as a larger separate township (2010).
Merri Development Corridor: rural, except Craigieburn as a separate urban township (1954), urban (1967), urban, with Craigieburn no longer identified as a separate urban township (1971), urban (1974), non-urban (1976), urban, extending past Craigieburn (1981), urban, but shorter (2002,) urban, but longer again (2010).
Woodstock Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), mostly gone (2010).
Plenty Development Corridor: rural, except Epping a separate town (1954), some urban, some rural, with some areas requiring special protection and with Whittlesea identified as a separate urban township (1967), urban, with Whittlesea no longer identified as a separate urban township (1971), urban (1974), urban (1976), urban (1981), urban, rural and parks, with Whittlesea identified as a separate urban township again (2002), urban and non-urban, with Whittlesea still identified as a separate urban township (2010).
Kinglake-Yarra Green Wedge: rural, with some small separate towns, such as Warrandyte, inside it (1954), rural, with some areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban, with some small separate towns (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban, with some small separate towns (2010).
Lilydale Development Corridor: urban (1954) urban (1967) urban (1971) urban (1974) urban (1976) urban (1981) urban (2002) urban (2010)
Dandenongs Green Wedge: rural (1954) rural, rural, with large areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban, with some small separate towns (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981), rural and parks (2002), non-urban, with some small separate towns (2010).
Berwick Development Corridor: urban as far as Dandenong, but not as far as Berwick (1954), urban, with Cranbourne identified as a separate urban township (1967), urban, extended beyond Berwick and, with another extension to Cranbourne (1971), urban beyond Berwick and to Cranbourne (1974), urban (1976), urban (1981), urban with the Berwick corridor extended eastwards and with the Cranbourne adjunct corridor thickened (2002), urban, with the Cranbourne adjunct corridor still thickened (2010).
Cranbourne Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural, rural, with some areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban, (1976) rural and parks (1981), rural (2002), non-urban (2010).
Springvale Green Wedge: rural (1954), rural, with large areas requiring special protection (1967), non-urban (1971), non-urban (1974), non-urban (1976), rural and landscape/ecological (1981,) rural and parks, but encroached on by the development corridors either side of it (2002), non-urban (2010).
Frankston Development Corridor: thinly urban (1954), urban (1967), urban (1971), urban (1974), urban (1976), urban (1981), urban and enlarged (2002), urban (2010).
Green wedges exist to provide breaks between urban land, to make the countryside more accessible, to protect significant landscape areas and to protect wildlife. Despite the intentions of planners of any time, other forces can make changes – and this is what we see when we look at almost a century of planning in Melbourne.
References
“Half the City will be green areas”, The Sun, 30/11/1971
“The plan”, The Sun, 30/11/1971
Living City, No. 10, MMBW, Spring-Summer 1971
Dual Occupancy and its Impact on Metropolitan Growth in Melbourne (1986-1992), Kathryn Mitchell, Master of Arts in Town Planning, Victoria University of Technology, 1999
Maintaining Melbourne’s Green Wedges, Michael Buxton and Robin Goodman, School of Social Science and Planning – RMIT University, December 2002
Land shortage, price hike link a myth, claims academic, Simon Johanson, The Age, 6/12/2010
Green land cut back as Melbourne grows much bigger , Jason Dowling, The Age, 29/7/2010
Planning – a recent history, August 8, 2009
Melbourne's urban growth boundary settled - Planning Minister media release 2003
