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7.3 Implementation
7.3.1 Zoning
The whole of the study area is presently included in a Mixed Use Zone. This zone gives a strong preference to residential uses, compared to offices and industrial use, as residential is an as-of-right use and both office and industry uses require a planning permit. The implications of this are that over time business uses may be phased out and residential uses are likely to prevail, particularly in areas experiencing strong market demand for residential redevelopment. However the changing nature of small business could mean an increase in home business/home occupation.
Council's objective of retaining "a balanced mix of uses" in West Melbourne is unlikely to be achieved in the medium to long term, through application of the existing Mixed Use Zone contained in the Victorian Planning Provisions.
Options presently contained within the Victoria Planning Provisions (VPPs) include:
Business 2 Zone:
Advantages - Overcomes the preference given to residential uses. However it gives a priority to offices uses, which are included in Section 1 (no permit required), compared to residential and industrial uses, which are included in Section 2.
Disadvantages - The purposes of the zone emphasises office uses, rather than a mix that also includes industry and residential. As such, it does not properly reflect the mix of uses envisaged throughout the area by Council planning policy.
Possible application - If the VPP zones are the only zones available for use, then the Business Zone could be applied to that part of the study area to the south of Dudley Street. It would potentially facilitate a higher proportion of business rather than residential uses than is currently the case.
Business 3 Zone:
Advantages - The purpose of the zone supports both office and industrial uses, and both uses are Section 1 (no permit required).
Disadvantages - Residential uses are prohibited.
Possible application - This zone is not applicable for use in the study area as residential uses should not be excluded from any part of the area.
New Zone - Mixed Use Business Zone
Given the priority granted to residential uses by the present Mixed Use Zone, it is considered that good reasons exist for two Mixed Use Zones to be included in the VPPs. One could have a residential emphasis and one could have a business emphasis.
The existing Mixed Use Zone could be renamed the Mixed Use Residential Zone. The purpose of that zone would be to apply to former industrial/ commercial areas that were planned to evolve a more residential land use pattern in the future i.e. zones where the emphasis was towards residential. A new Mixed Use Zone called the Mixed Use Business Zone, could place greater emphasis on office and industrial uses (as Section 1) with residential uses being Section 2 uses.
The degree to which residential uses replaced business uses in the future would be managed by local planning policy. The benefit of this new zone is that it would allow Council to retain a more balanced mix of uses.
The new Mixed Use Business Zone could potentially be applied to all of the study area to the south of Dudley Street. The renamed Mixed Use Residential Zone could be applied to that part of the study area to the north of Spencer and Hawke Street.
Any options for a new mixed use zone(s) in the VPPs need to be discussed with the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE).
Nevertheless, facilitating VPP tools alone may not achieve the desired mix of uses.
Other non-statutory methods of achieving a balanced mix of uses should also be explored, for example, a business development strategy.
7.3.2 Business Development Strategy
The economic review undertaken as part of this study commented on the likely demand for key land uses in the study area (refer Part 2). Market demands will impact on the ability to achieve Council's stated policies.
Planning policies regarding building height throughout the study area will also impact on the redevelopment potential of land, and hence on the future land use mix. Those areas where a greater building height is supported will have greater redevelopment potential, and hence are more likely to be used for higher density residential and office uses. Those areas where heights are restricted are more likely to facilitate and/or refurbishment of existing building stock. Where existing buildings are used by industry or other employment uses, those uses are arguably more likely to continue in areas with a more restricted height limit.
Zoning can only achieve so much in terms of the mix of uses that occurs in the area. Given Council's stated objective of retaining a balanced mix of uses in the area, a Business Development Strategy should be prepared for the West Melbourne
Mixed Use area. The key elements of such a strategy would be as follows:
* Identify a precinct in which it is appropriate to focus actions aimed at retaining and attracting new business uses. It is recommended at the West Melbourne Central Mixed Use area (first priority) and the North Melbourne Mixed Use Area (second priority) be the focus of a Business Development Strategy. Given the transition in uses anticipated to occur to the south of Dudley Street, it is not considered appropriate for the strategy to apply to that area.
* A database of existing business in the area.
* A database of vacant buildings and/or sites with the potential to be used for business purposes.
* A database of land owners willing to redevelop/refurbish buildings for business use.
* A database of successful redevelopments/refurbishments that have occurred.
* A hypothetical feasibility study that presents a redevelopment/ refurbishment of a building in the area for business purposes. The study should identify likely costs, income and returns on investment. The study should be made available to building and land owners contemplating redevelopment/refurbishment for business purposes.
* Resources within Council to:
a. establish linkages between owners, tenants and developers;
b. prepare and update the Business Development Strategy and associated databases;
c. undertake target marketing aimed at attracting new businesses to the area and assisting existing business seeking to expand to find new premises in the area; and
d. assist home business/home occupation.
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