Integrating Local Land Use Planning & Regional Catchment Planning

THE PROJECT – BACKGROUND AND AIMS

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and the Victorian Catchment Management Council (VCMC) initiated the Integrating Local Land Use Planning & Regional Catchment Planning Project for the ten catchment management and land protection regions of Victoria. The project was commenced as a joint initiative in 2000, with a steering committee established of representatives from local government, state agencies and catchment management authorities, the Victorian Catchment Management Council (VCMC) and the MAV.

The overall aim of the project has been to achieve greater integration of regional catchment management planning and local land use planning by consistent interpretation of Regional Catchment Strategies in municipal planning schemes across Victoria.

In seeking to meet this aim, the objectives of this project were:

To identify the natural resource/catchment management issues that are appropriate for inclusion in municipal planning schemes.
To examine the performance of the existing planning schemes in giving effect to RCSs.
To identify opportunities and constraints to integration of RCSs in municipal planning schemes.
To develop a consistent approach to the integration of RCSs in municipal planning schemes.
To develop an action plan aimed at achieving greater integration between regional catchment management and land use planning that includes consideration of requirements for preparation of RCSs, processes for integration, education and training and, development of partnerships between Catchment Management Authorities and local government.

The Project was managed by the MAV and overseen by a project steering committee with representation from the MAV, VCMC, DOI, DNRE, Buloke Shire Council, City of Ballarat, Bass Coast Shire Council, North Central CMA, Glenelg Hopkins CMA, Wimmera CMA and Port Phillip Westernport CMA. Principal project consultant was Maunsell Australia Pty Ltd with sub-consultant John Keaney and Associates (see Acknowledgements).

INTRODUCTION

Developing the links between Victorian local government and regional Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) has always been an important and vital challenge, but at times has been made more difficult by confusion over respective roles and responsibilities, and some initial tension over the collection of the now abandoned Catchment Waterway Levy. One of the inherent challenges in the Victorian system of catchment management is to effectively link catchment-based natural resource planning - coordinated at a regional scale, with statutory land use planning - delivered at a local government scale. Additionally, the challenge for both CMAs and local government is to engage the broader community in the huge task of natural resource management, to avoid duplication and to ensure regions move ahead together towards more sustainable futures.

With the added incentive that the investment and funding of the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP – see Glossary) being delivered in Victoria through the regional CMA structures, recent approaches to developing the links between the local and regional structures have been very positive, and are a possible model for other states facing the same challenge.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In 1995, the Victorian State Government initiated a reform of Victoria’s planning system and as part of this program introduced the Victorian Planning Provisions (See Introduction to the Planning Scheme) to be used by local government to prepare new format planning schemes. In parallel, the State government established the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, which provided for the Catchment Management Authorities, the development of Regional Catchment Strategies (RCSs) and regional approaches to natural resource management (See Introduction to Regional Catchment Strategies).

The RCSs and new format planning schemes were developed concurrently, but largely independently. As a result, there has generally been wide variation in the extent and effectiveness of interpretation of RCSs in planning schemes through local strategic planning policy. This project has provided the opportunity to review and more effectively integrate local and regional mechanisms for protecting the catchment values and environmental assets.

With both RCSs and municipal planning schemes in their first period of mandatory review, it has been timely to examine the links between the two levels of planning. This has sought to assist ensure that catchment management outcomes are being given effect through planning schemes in both a policy context, and in turn through detailed planning controls. The focus of this project has been on the local planning policy context of planning schemes in the Local Planning Policy Framework (see Glossary). This policy base is the driver for the specific statutory planning controls that are then applied either through zones or overlays (see Glossary).