Land use

Land use is an important consideration for developing integrated transport. Local governments can use the planning scheme and local provisions to enable 'no build' transport solutions, reducing the need for expensive infrastructure.

Travel and transport demand is a direct expression of land use. People need to physically access the many facilities, services and activities that make up our settlement patterns. Businesses also need access for raw materials, labour, markets and distribution systems.

Currently transport infrastructure responds to travel demands from existing dispersed and low density land use patterns. Public transport struggles to adequately service settlement patterns that generate low patronage levels. Appropriate land use planning can redirect travel demand, providing support for more sustainable modes, and reducing car dependence.

Hence settlement patterns and the distribution of activities across a region have profound implications for the transport system to service the resultant travel demand.

Concepts of New Urbanism, Smart Growth and Transit Oriented Development promote greater integration of land use planning with transport access. These principles underpin Melbourne 2030 and are very relevant to development throughout Victoria. The key message is that a significant contribution for integrated, active and sustainable transport can be made by a consolidated urban form of mixed use and accessible destinations with built-in priority for walking, cycling and public transport.

This is more sustainable than current practice, in which traditional dispersed settlement patterns develop dependent upon long car trips. These are very difficult to service by other transport means and can confer significant disadvantage on the less mobile sections of the community.

Integrated transport strategies aim for travel patterns that are more sustainable, and

• Consume less resources
• Are safer and healthier
• Minimise environmental damage

Local governments can make good use of the planning scheme, zoning system and development permits to achieve better outcomes for integrated transport by undertaking the following;

• Structure planning to focus development in mixed-use activity centres
• Consolidate development, by instituting urban growth boundaries
• Require destination mode planning with developer permits
• Establish developer contributions for all transport infrastructure required by new developments
• Transit oriented urban design that prioritises sustainable modes
• Walking, cycling and public transport routes that are direct and accessible without barriers to direct movement
• Minimisation of land occupation by transport infrastructure

Structure planning to focus development in mixed-use activity centres
Local governments can review and adjust planning schemes to take proactive measures to direct development with the ultimate aim of establishing sustainable settlement patterns. For metropolitan local governments these ideas are well supported by state directions in Melbourne 2030.

These principles are also applicable to regional centres and rural situations faced with limited transport options throughout Victoria. The set of performance criteria established for Melbourne 2030 activity centre development is a tool to guide structure planning for sustainable development.

Consolidate development by instituting urban growth boundaries
Modes of walking, cycling and public transport can better serve more compact urban areas, which can be facilitated by establishing an urban growth boundary around existing settlement(s).

An urban growth boundary is a tool to better manage growth or development by channelling activities into designated areas, and away from locations where development may result in undesirable community outcomes, including isolation from transport and connections.

An urban growth boundary has been established for metropolitan Melbourne (Melbourne 2030, Policy 2.1). All local governments should consider an urban growth boundary as a consolidation tool for more sustainable settlement patterns. As well as concentrating growth and protecting environmental assets, it can be used to focus development in better serviced areas.

An urban growth boundary would help ensure that important community facilities such as schools were located close to residential areas, and help resist pressures for developments for less mobile groups, such as retirement villages, in isolated circumstances.

Transit oriented urban design that prioritises sustainable modes
An urban environment that can provide the best support for public transport, walking and cycling needs to maximise the generation of trips by these modes and minimise generation of car trips. This can be achieved by orienting the urban environment to favour the use of public transport, walking and cycling over the use of private vehicles.

This is consistent with activity centre planning which aims to maximise use of non-car modes by concentrating activities that generate significant numbers of person trips in highly accessible locations. Higher residential densities in the vicinity of public transport stops and stations can generate more public transport trips and sustain better service levels.

Urban design can influence user perception by designing an attractive interface between the urban environment and public transport access points. Ensuring that appropriate levels, materials, signs, lighting, visibility and information are all in place will get maximum value from proximity and combine utility and function with liveable features and streetscape value.

Require destination mode planning with development permits
Better links between destinations and public transport will encourage public transport choices. Through requirements on permits for development, local governments can require

• integrated travel plans for all site users
• trip end facilities for cyclists
• car parking limits (LINK to parking section)

Require developer contributions for transport infrastructure from new developments
When land is developed it is likely that the use causes the need for new or upgraded infrastructure. Development contributions are payments or works-in-kind towards the provision of infrastructure upgrades made by the proponent of a new development. Development contributions can be provided through the:

• planning scheme amendment process
• planning permit process, or
• building permit process.

A recent review of development contributions established revised guidelines for local governments to use developer contributions to fund local infrastructure.

To levy developers for infrastructure contributions through the planning or building permit process, a local government requires a development contributions plan (DCP) which has been incorporated into the local planning scheme.

A development contribution plan is the mechanism used to levy new development for contributions to planned infrastructure needed by the future community. It needs to be strategically justified and clearly linked to future infrastructure expectations based on projected population requirements.

In the work that local governments do, planning ahead for strategic and service delivery for anticipated land use and activity demands, provision of new infrastructure or upgrading existing facilities to keep pace with ongoing development will be a constant task.

An integrated transport strategy that identifies the transport infrastructure requirements of the future population can support the development contribution plan and justify the financial component from each development.

Walking and cycling routes that are safe and accessible without barriers to direct movement

Geographical proximity does not mean easy, safe and direct access. Local governments' control of local roads and negotiation position with regards to arterial roads can influence access routes to favour non motorized routes.
Useful tools are:

• Analysis of walking and cycling catchments using pedshed and cycleshed techniques to identify and facilitate direct 'as the crow flies' movements
• Travel demand management programs such as Safe Routes to Schools and Walking School Bus can provide on-ground experience of the walking and cycling trips to feed back to infrastructure managers to inform expenditure. Local governments with in-house skills for local area traffic management and community travel behaviour have the facility to provide user experience to better inform infrastructure design. (LINK to programs)

Minimisation of land occupation by transport infrastructure