Opportunities in this space might include:

• Encourage the quality of new development to be a higher standard than the planning scheme requires. This will mean people’s experience of places in Moreland is positive and residents will live in good quality housing.
• Continue to encourage medium density housing through planning application processes and development incentives.
• Provide urban design expertise to guide the development of quality buildings across the city. This will encourage good design and improve the way Mooreland’s neighbourhoods look.
• Encourage more tree planting through the planning approvals process when building new houses.
• Encourage more affordable housing, to meet the needs of our diverse population.
• Future proof community assets by making them multi-purpose and plan for changing community needs.

Challenges in this space might include:

• Encouraging smaller houses and taller apartments to accommodate the changing needs of a growing population means the look and feel of some neighbourhoods is going to change and this will concern some in the community.
• More and taller buildings, and higher densities mean that the look and feel of Moreland will change. The challenge is to retain what the community loves about Moreland, such as heritage buildings and unique shopping strips.
• There are many unknowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including potential changes to population forecasts which need to be monitored.
• The Victorian planning system only seeks to deliver acceptable development outcomes. With such significant growth and new development, Council and the community demand better quality development outcomes, better designed buildings and hommes that are more liveable.
• Some main streets in Moreland, such as Sydney Road, are owned by the State Government, meaning streetscape improvement comes at a higher cost, longer approval and less innovation opportunity.
• Accurate planning for the increased future demand in community infrastructure for our changing and growing population is difficult to do.
• Some existing community infrastructure was developed in a different era and does not reflect current community needs.
• Community infrastructure and assets require significant on-going investment in maintenance and renewal activities.