Green Wedges Coalition - A vision for Melbourne

RESPONSE TO URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY PROPOSALS AND EPBC IMPACT ASSESSMENT

 (DELIVERING MELBOURNE’S NEWEST SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES )

Environment Victoria is the state’s peak non-government, not-for-profit environmental body. With over 120 member groups and thousands of individual members and supporters, Environment Victoria has been representing the voice of the Victorian community on the environment for 40 years.

This is Environment Victoria’s response to the Urban Growth Boundary Review Report, the proposals for the Outer Metropolitan Ring Freeway and Tarneit Rail-link, and the Strategic Impact Assessment Report for the EPBC Act, which have all been released for public consultation in June-July.

Environment Victoria reiterates points made in previous submission

In our initial submission to the state government’s Melbourne@5million announcement, Environment Victoria emphasised the threat to highly significant remnants of endangered ecosystems and threatened species habitat posed by the UGB expansion. There is still an opportunity to establish a visionary conservation network about Melbourne’s urban fringe, which is based on protecting the existing green wedges.

We also emphasised the importance of achieving sustainable, consolidated urban development, and of focussing transport investment into rail and public transport instead of building new freeways. We urged Government to make better use of existing growth corridors by implementing modest increases in housing density, and not to expand the urban growth boundary for at least another 5 years as recommended by the Melbourne 2030 audit.

Environment Victoria’s concerns and recommendations outlined previously apply also to the urban growth boundary proposals and EPBC strategic assessment now released for public comment.

• Unsustainable urban sprawl and new freeways
• New grassland parks supported, but unacceptable impact on Melbourne’s natural environment

SPECIFIC RESPONSES TO URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY PROPOSALS AND EPBC STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT

to read the complete submission download the pdf attached to this page.

For further information regarding this submission or Environment Victoria’s work, please contact Victoria McKenzie-McHarg, Safe Climate and Sustainable Transport Campaigner at victoria@envict.org.au or on 03 9341 8112.