Amendment C148

Council initially proposed increasing the Public Open Space levy as part of Amendment C148. This was exhibited from June to August 2019, and was considered by a planning panel in February 2020.

Council proposed a more innovative methodology to determine open space needs (and the contribution rate) by proposing a quantum of open space per head of population. The planning panel did not support this methodology, as it only considered quantity, and not quality of open space.

The panel issued an interim report [PDF 876kb] recommending that Council prepare a more traditional open space implementation plan, and return to the panel. Council commenced that work following the panel hearing and while that was being undertaken, the Amendment lapsed. As such, Council has prepared a new planning scheme amendment to address the recommendations of the interim panel report for Amendment C148.

Using the more traditional open space implementation plan, the open space contribution rate was calculated at 13.23%, and for Amendment C148 was calculated at 10%. Council has proposed to apply a contribution rate of 10% rather than the 13.23% as part of Amendment C169.

Updating the Monash Open Space Strategy

The Monash Open Space Strategy has also been updated. The key changes are:

  • The planning horizon for the strategy has been adjusted to 2036 rather than 2028, looking ahead fifteen years rather than ten given the likely implementation time of the amendment.
  • Updates to population figures using the latest figures available in the Eastern Metropolitan Land Use Framework Plan, and
  • Including worker population in forecasting.