Insights Library
Full circle planning – is the PSP process going back to its Outline Development Plan origins?
Amendment C477 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme (Amendment C477) has been gazetted. Whilst on its face, it marks a significant milestone in the long-term planning of the Greater Avalon Employment Precinct (GAEP) when one considers in more detail the controls which have been implemented, it provides an insight into the way in which strategic planning processes are evolving and perhaps the new alternative to the Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) process in Victoria.
Traditionally, growth area planning in Victoria has relied heavily on the preparation of PSPs. PSPs provide a detailed and relatively fixed blueprint for development of large areas of land and are supported by detailed and years long technical work which informs matters such as land use patterns, road networks, open space, community infrastructure and development sequencing. Whilst this model has proven successful in many greenfield growth corridors, it can be less responsive to evolving circumstances, particularly where precincts are expected to develop over extended timeframes or where significant infrastructure, environmental or economic considerations remain subject to change. In addition, the ever expanding number (and cost) of technical reports needed to inform PSPs, the introduction of the PSP 2.0 process and “progressive certainty” and the continued delay in delivery of State infrastructure is now complicating the success of the PSP process and implementation of PSPs appears is occurring years after gazettal of the relevant strategic documents.
Of significant interest to those working in the greenfield space should be Amendment C477 and the use of a Development Plan Overlay (DPO) supported by a Design and Development Overlay (DDO), in lieu of a PSP. This approach is consistent with the pre-PSP models, where areas were rezoned and an Outline Development Plan applied to them to guide and inform development. These documents are usually more flexible in terms of detail and are intended to provide an overall strategic vision for an area in a manner which recognises and embeds change occurring in that vision over time. Unlike a PSP, which often seeks to resolve many development outcomes at the outset of the planning process, a DPO or Outline Development Plans allows the detailed form and layout of development to evolve as further technical investigations are undertaken and development proposals come forward. Importantly, development plans are subject to a statutory assessment and approval process that enables ongoing refinement and amendment where appropriate over time. This allows planning controls to respond to changing circumstances, emerging opportunities, advances in infrastructure planning, and lessons learned through implementation.
Amendment C477 pivoted from a PSP to a DPO model and is a good example of how strategic planning documents can evolve through the exhibition process. The framework that ultimately emerged was shaped by extensive consultation with landowners, government agencies, industry stakeholders and the broader community, together with detailed consideration of submissions and recommendations arising from a Standing Advisory Committee process. These processes, documents and controls are inherently complex and the success of their implementation turns on the drafting and a deep understanding of landowner outcome, visions and a whole of development viewpoint which ensures that the flexibility and outcomes afforded are ones that can evolve with a precinct over time. Our office was pleased to play a key role in this Amendment and in relation to the DPO process generally.
We consider that the flexibility of DPO and DDO controls, as opposed to PSPs, may increasingly appeal to landowners, governments and planning authorities considering the delivery of complex employment and industrial precincts. Rather than locking in development outcomes decades in advance through a highly prescriptive PSP process, the DPO model can provide a framework that maintains strategic direction while allowing greater adaptability as economic conditions, infrastructure priorities and development opportunities change.
As Victoria continues to plan for future employment growth and economic development, the Greater Avalon Employment Precinct may represent more than just a significant new employment hub. It also perhaps shows a shift in the mindset of the Department with respect to the suite of strategic planning tools that are available to shape how major precincts are planned and delivered across the State.
