By Laura Michell
Whittlesea council has called on the state government to mandate affordable and social housing provisions in new developments.
In a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the adequacy of the Planning and Environment Act and the Victorian planning framework, the council called on the state government to do more to ensure affordable and social housing options are delivered as part of new Precinct Structure Plans in growth areas.
The council said the inability to mandate social and affordable housing delivery as part of the PSP process is “a major missed opportunity”.
The council also wants the government to help raise community awareness of social and affordable housing.
Council’s chair administrator Lydia Wilson said this would ensure greater consistency across municipalities and build community acceptance of these types of housing.
The submission also called for greater protection of the Green Wedge and for the state government to act on its promise to create the 1200-hectare Grassy Eucalypt Woodland in the Whittlesea Green Wedge.
In 2010, the state and federal governments agreed to protect areas of environmental significance that were potentially impacted by the expansion of the urban growth boundary around Melbourne that year.
Under the agreement, the state government was required to acquire land for the woodland.
To date no land has been secured.
“As a matter of priority, the state government should make good on their commitment to secure/purchase this land not only for the City of Whittlesea, but also the adjoining councils and their communities,” the submission stated.
Council also raised concerns about the current cap on developer funding contributions for community infrastructure in growth areas, such as Whittlesea.
“[The cap] has proven to be very problematic for councils such as our own. It has resulted in funding gaps for community infrastructure,” Ms Wilson said.
She called for the government to allow councils to introduce supplementary levies in circumstances where additional contributions are warranted.
