To guide the Open Space Strategy we commissioned the Urban Planning firm, Mesh Planning, to undertake an open space analysis. From this analysis, they wrote the Open Space Technical Report. The report made recommendations for future open space projects, building on the Park Close to Home framework.

To write the report these tasks were undertaken:

1. Review of all existing open spaces in Merri-bek and designation of spaces into a new open space hierarchy depending on their size and functions (being pocket, neighbourhood, local, regional and district open spaces).

2. A mapping analysis whereby all existing open spaces (and their hierarchy) and their walking distance catchments were mapped.

3. Analysis of current residential and worker populations and future populations and their future open space needs.

4. Review of Merri-bek's future densification and impact on open space, including type of future densification (detached homes, townhouses, apartments) and locations (including if within or not within Merri-bek's Major Activity Centres, Neighbourhood Centres and Local Centres.

5. Creation of a new open space gaps framework established by the open space hierarchy and access to specific open space functions (dog parks, play spaces, formal sports grounds and Creek areas).

6. Recommendations for specific open space projects designed to meet the identified open spaces gaps and Merri-bek's increase residential and worker populations and densification.

7. Creation of a 20-year Projects List which guides investment and development in Merri-bek's open space network over the next 2 decades to meet the Strategy objectives and the Report’s identified gaps and recommendations.

The Technical Report is a very large file so we have divided it into 3 documents. You can dowload these documents from the Document Library on this page.

The 20-year Project List was created from the Technical Report analysis and recommendations and guided by the Open Space Strategy’s new vision and directions.

This list is an aspirational program that helps Council look at our long-term open space needs accompanied by long-term financial planning.

The projects list includes projects like:

• land acquisition to create a new open space
• upgrades to existing open spaces like playgrounds and facilities for dogs
• enhancements to sports grounds
• works to increase accessibility such as new shared user paths.

The List also includes projects that are based on forecast residential and worker population increases and projected areas of densification.

Read the 20 Year Project List (PDF 531KB)

Please note: this is a list of suggested projects. It is not endorsed or final. All future projects will be be considered along with our budget processes and work planning, and will be assessed alongside the needs and priorities of Council’s overall portfolio and community expectations, and the needs of our Open Space network.

The Strategy contains principles for overall decision making in open space. This includes decisions regarding development, maintenance, day to day usage and tending to open spaces. The principles ensure that decisions are made with a range of community views and user needs and provide a consistent decision-making process. These principles are:

• Traditional Owner input invited: In line with Council’s commitment to the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, an invitation will be open for Traditional Owner participation in any decisions.

• Strategically aligned: Supports achievement of the Open Space Strategy vision and objectives and other Council decision making frameworks.

• Evidence based: Scientific and social data and research inform decisions.

• Transparent and participatory: Community engagement forms a key pillar of decision making in the management of open spaces and processes guiding decisions are transparent.

• Intergenerational focused: Decisions will be made with the long-term future in mind, so that future generations will continue to experience the benefits of the decisions we make regarding open space today.

The Strategy includes design principles for upgrading and creating new spaces to achieve designs that:

• Address safety through Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

• Adapt to climate change, mitigate climate risk (such as flooding, excessive heat, water sensitive urban design, cooling methods, increase canopy and vegetation coverage) and improve biodiversity, habitat, and nature. Council Meeting 6 December 2023 15

• Meet the needs of our diverse community (including persons with a disability, all ages, all genders, differing cultures).

• Respond to universal design principles (disability lens perspective and inter-generational perspective).

The Strategy also acknowledges that consistent steps need to be taken to make open space decisions and use the principles outlined above. Therefore, it includes a decision pathway for making open space decisions, including:

• exploring the proposed change and data supporting the change.

• engaging on the proposed change; undertaken a costs, benefits and risks analysis, and

• evaluating the change against the Strategy (including the principles).