Building Communities Symposium 'Wrap Up'

Building Communities Symposium ‘Wrap Up’

Opening Keynote (Alix Rhodes, Victorian Planning Authority)

Alix outlined population and associated infrastructure challenges facing Victoria. The VPA has surveyed its key stakeholders for its Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) development process and will be piloting a new “PSP 2.0” process. The new PSP process will aim to shorten the development process to within 2 years, compared with 3.5 years currently. The new PSP process will contain three imperatives:

1.Purpose and Place Plan: A Process Design that defines the Purpose of the PSP and has a clear connection to place

2.Co-Design:  Engage stakeholders early  

3.Lean process: Streamline and optimise the preparation process

Panel presentations

Llewellyn Reynders (Infrastructure Victoria) 

The role of IV in providing independent advice to government on community needs. It is currently developing Victoria’s 30-year Infrastructure Strategy, with an issues paper to be released in October 2019. IV has produced a number of supporting documents for infrastructure and community service planning. Their Infrastructure Provision in Different Development Settings document outlined costs for these in a number of site contexts. 

Raeph Cumming (SocioLogic)

There is a need for integrated service and facilities planning and using evidence-based approaches to meet community needs, this is supported by a recent VAGO report. Successful integration of service and facility planning uses a whole of council approach and aligns key responsibilities with council areas. There are also tools and frameworks to implement this approach at councils, such as CASIMO.

Kelly Grigsby (Chief Executive Officer, Wyndham City Council)

Outlined how Wyndham City Council’s governance framework embeds civic participation and ongoing engagement to ensure services and infrastructure meet community needs. They are committed to growing local employment opportunities and ensuring that land designated for employment nodes is used for that purpose. The council is currently consulting the community in the development of its Wyndham Urban Framework Plan to meet challenges associated with the third fastest growing city in Australia.