INDUSTRIAL LAND USE STRATEGY - City of Darebin

1 INTRODUCTIONCouncil is faced with an increasing numberof demands on industrial land for housingand other non-industrial activities. In somecases, the industrial land in questionprovides legitimate and needed space foreconomic activity and jobs; in other cases,the land is not generating economic benefitsfor the community and could be consideredfor other uses.In considering rezoning requests and permitapplications, Council requires a coherentpolicy by which to judge the effects of theproposal and the best ways to deliver netcommunity benefit. The alternative is an adhoc approach that will inevitably be seen asinequitable and open to appeal.This strategy document provides a decisionmakingframework for the consideration ofrezoning requests and permit applicationsfor industrial land. It draws on workundertaken by Essential Economics andCouncil in 1999 and 2000 including landusesurveys, demographic analysis andconsultation processes documented in theissues paper entitled “Linking EconomicDevelopment to Land-Use Planning”.The issues paper provides a broad anddetailed discussion of the changes affectingthe Darebin economy as well as a detailedland-use survey of some of the industrialand commercial areas in the municipality.This document provides:1. General principles that should guideand manage land-use change.2. A brief description of the changesthat are occurring in the Darebineconomy.3. Revisions to the strategic planningframework for industrial land.4. A hierarchy of industrial land withinthe City of Darebin.5. Recommendations on the future useand zoning of Darebin’s industrialzoned land.6. A decision-making framework thatCouncil officers can use to assistassessment of rezoning requests andpermit applications.These recommendations will requiremodification of the Municipal StrategicStatement and amendment of the LocalPlanning Policy Framework with theinclusion of industrial policies to give effectto this strategy.A comprehensive review of the Municipal Strategic Statement is to beundertaken in 2002. The review of the industrial segment of the MunicipalStrategic Statement will be based on this Industrial Land Use Strategy. Therevised Municipal Strategic Statement will then give effect to elements of thisstrategy.City of Darebin Industrial Land Use Strategy 1