Ivanhoe Activity Centre

• The Ivanhoe Project
• Working towards a new Draft Structure Plan
• Draft Ivanhoe Structure Plan – 2011 background
• Draft Ivanhoe Structure Plan - 2011 background
• Built Form Workshops – October and November 2011
• Role of the Ivanhoe Project Community Consultative Committee, new members and contact list
• Proposed Amendments to the Banyule Planning Scheme – Heritage Overlay
• What is a Structure Plan?
• Vision for the Ivanhoe Activity Centre
• How can I have my say?
• Civic Precinct Masterplan
• Previous consultation

The Ivanhoe Project

The Ivanhoe Project involves two planning projects, the Ivanhoe Plan (Structure Plan) and the Civic Precinct Masterplan.

Working towards a new Draft Structure Plan

Council continues to work with the community and the Ivanhoe Community Consultative Committee (CCC) on the new draft of the Structure Plan.

The CCC and the community are being provided with analysis for comment on six potential development sites:

• Darebin Station,
• Coles and surrounds,
•  Lower Heidelberg Road/Marshall Street
• Ivanhoe Station
• The Upper Heidelberg Road shopping area
• Civic Precinct (the Library, Town Hall and surrounds)

All comments are being provided to the project’s urban designers MGS Architects, to guide their work on the development of new guidelines. These guidelines will be tailored to meet the unique characteristics of Ivanhoe and address issues such as height, setbacks, landscaping and the design of buildings and façades.

To further progress work on the new draft built form guidelines and analysis of these sites, Council invites residents to two built form workshops: 

Built Form Workshop                                        Built Form Workshop
Saturday 24 March                                            Thursday 22 March
1pm - 4pm                                                            10am - 1pm
The Centre Ivanhoe                                            The Centre Ivanhoe 

In April, there will be a Community Workshop to focus on whether a draft executive summary properly captures an emerging vision for Ivanhoe. The workshop will also discuss a set of draft materials that could be considered as a basis for a new plan. These materials are:

• A new Draft Executive Summary
• An updated Activity Centre Area
• New Built Form Guidelines 

Community Workshop
Saturday 21 April, 2012
12pm – 4pm
The Centre Ivanhoe

Please email your RSVP to book a place to ivanhoeproject@banyule.vic.gov.au or phone 9457 9816 before 19 March for the Built Form Workshops and before 16 April for the Community Workshop.

Draft Ivanhoe Structure Plan – 2011 background

A Draft of the Ivanhoe Structure Plan was released in late July 2011. Council has received about 700 submissions from the community. Council is continuing to consider and summarise submissions. A report summarising the preliminary feedback has been compiled and is available below.

Council has resolved to widen and deepen public consultation on developing a new Draft Plan. To further this there has been several information sessions, workshops and individual meetings and there will be further sessions in 2012.

Council recently held seven workshops relating to issues around the Draft Plan that were well attended. The workshops looked at issues such as transport and infrastructure and the built form. A report on the Built Form workshops will be uploaded shortly.  A report on the Built Form workshops is available below.

The workshops held in October and November have provided invaluable information for Council, and an opportunity for group discussions with residents. Attached below is the presentation from Rob McGuaran from MGS Architects that was presented to the Built Form Workshop. NOTE the maps in this presentation are still at an early draft stage.

A new draft of the structure plan will be released in 2012 and informed by the content of submissions and further work. The new draft will also be subject to another round of community submissions and public meetings of which residents will be informed.  Council is also meeting with community representatives to discuss the development of the new draft of the Plan.

Draft Ivanhoe Structure Plan - 2011 background

A Draft of the Ivanhoe Structure Plan was released in late July 2011. Council has received about 700 submissions from the community. Council is continuing to consider and summarise submissions. A report summarising the preliminary feedback has been compiled and is available below.

Council has resolved to widen and deepen public consultation on developing a new Draft Plan. To further this there has been several information sessions, workshops and individual meetings and there will be further sessions in 2012.

Council recently held seven workshops relating to issues around the Draft Plan that were well attended. The workshops looked at issues such as transport and infrastructure and the built form. A report on the Built Form workshops will be uploaded shortly.  A report on the Built Form workshops is available below.

The workshops held in October and November have provided invaluable information for Council, and an opportunity for group discussions with residents. Attached below is the presentation from Rob McGuaran from MGS Architects that was presented to the Built Form Workshop. NOTE the maps in this presentation are still at an early draft stage.

A new draft of the structure plan will be released in 2012 and informed by the content of submissions and further work. The new draft will also be subject to another round of community submissions and public meetings of which residents will be informed.  Council is also meeting with community representatives to discuss the development of the new draft of the Plan.

Built Form Workshops – October and November 2011

Built Form Workshops were held in October and November 2011. After the presentation from Rob McGauran from MGS Architects (see above), participants broke into groups for a workshop. At each workshop table were two large maps of Ivanhoe.

Participants were asked to identity the Sensitive Places & Interfaces, place a blue dot on its location on the map and write a short description on a corresponding post-it note as to why it is important.

Sensitive interfaces refer to places where, if there was to be development next to these areas there would need to be special care taken to preserve the neighbouring amenity.

An example could be a proposed tall building next to a 1-2 storey residential area. Sensitive places could include residential areas, parkland and the Town Hall.

Similarly with the Development Areas map participants were asked to identity areas on the map where greater development could be located, place a red dot on its location and write a short description on a corresponding post-it note as to why it is important.

NB: You will notice that in some cases red dots are placed in areas where development wasn’t wanted.

Greater development could refer to new buildings for office, retail or residential use, but also the development of community facilities such as a library, public open space in the form of a piazza or future entertainment venues such as a cinema.

We have reproduced all the dots on the red and blue maps below, and have added all the corresponding comments from participants in a summary below. In an attempt to reproduce the comments as faithfully as possible, grammar was not corrected. What was written on the post-it notes is what’s been included in the summary. They are the participant’s comments.

Role of the Ivanhoe Project Community Consultative Committee, new members and contact list

Council established a Community Consultative Committee to act as a sounding board for the project.  The committee is comprised of residents, local traders, community groups and service agencies. The Committee provides feedback and advice on the development of the plan and the consultative process. 

The Committee has no formal decision-making role and acts in a voluntary capacity. However the committee has significant input into the process and the nature of the consultation.

Below is a contact list of new members of the Ivanhoe Project Community Consultative Committee. This membership list has been provided to improve the community’s understanding of the complexion of the ICCC.

If there are any detailed or technical questions about the process or the Draft Plan, please direct these to Council officers.

Council is keen to ensure the Committee reflects the diversity of interests affected by the Ivanhoe Structure Plan. 

Recently five new resident members were added to the Committee meaning the composition now is:

• 10 local resident representatives (including two from the Save Ivanhoe group)
• 4 business representatives
• 4 members representing churches, the Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service and Ivanhoe Girls Grammar School

This brings the membership to 20, including the two local ward Councillors covering Ivanhoe, the Chair Cr. Jenny Mulholland and Cr. Craig Langdon.

Proposed Amendments to the Banyule Planning Scheme – Heritage Overlay

Council has prepared improvements to some sections of the Planning Scheme in relation to heritage that is on public exhibition until Thursday 3 November 2011. This amendment includes the recommended addition of properties that fall in, on near the study area of the Draft Ivanhoe Structure Plan. These have been informed by the Heritage Policy and Plan, and the Banyule Heritage Review 2011. For further information click here 

What is a Structure Plan?

The Ivanhoe Activity Centre, like all Activity Centres, has been identified as an area for growth and activity by the State Government.  State Planning Policy obliges Council to consider higher densities, particularly in Major Activity Centres like Ivanhoe. 

The Draft Structure Plan gives Council, local people and other stakeholders a long-term plan to guide future land use and development in a Major Activity Centre.

The Ivanhoe Major Activity Centre is focused on the Ivanhoe Shopping Centre and surrounding commercial, civic and residential areas.

A new Draft Ivanhoe Structure Plan is being prepared to look at options to broaden the mix of uses to include shops, housing, offices and community facilities to better meet community needs now and in the future.  A new Draft Plan will recommend opportunities to improve open spaces, access by walking and cycling, public transport facilities and car parking.

The  first Draft of the Plan is not Council policy but rather a set of suggestions for the community’s consideration.  Indeed Council is yet to formally consider the matter other that resolving to broaden and deepen consultation in the development of a new draft.

The aim of Council is to produce guidelines that are realistic and consistent with State planning policy around activity centres, but also reduce development pressure in residential areas across all of Ivanhoe.

Vision for the Ivanhoe Activity Centre

The Ivanhoe Activity Centre’s preferred identity will be influenced by the quality of its new buildings, spaces, vegetation, local character and heritage. New public plazas will provide a key focal point for the community and add greater vibrancy.

Some streetscapes will be further greened with trees and landscaping to create a stronger sense of connection to the many open spaces that surround the Centre. New opportunities for people to live in a range of housing options will exist. Based around two train stations, the Centre will become a place for people to enjoy moving around, particularly by walking, cycling and using public transport.

How can I have my say?

General submissions can be sent in the following ways:

By emailing comments to ivanhoeproject@banyule.vic.gov.au

• By filling in the feedback form below and sending it back to: Ivanhoe Project, Banyule City Council, P O Box 51, Ivanhoe, Victoria, 3079

Further details will be posted on the web when submissions open on the new draft.

Civic Precinct Masterplan

The Civic Precinct sits inside the Draft Ivanhoe Structure Plan area but is subject to a separate master planning and public consultation process.  In the future the Civic Precinct will incorporate a mix of vibrant and exciting community, commercial and residential uses, whilst protecting the heritage listed Town Hall building.  Future uses could include a range of community facilities including an improved library and learning hub and a more attractive and accessible public plaza.

 Future master planning for the Civic Precinct will include a separate public consultation process.

Previous consultation

Early in 2008, Council sought nominations from the community for the Ivanhoe Community Consultative Committee. The Committee provides an information and discussion forum for the local community to comment on the plan. The committee is comprised of residents, local traders, community groups and service agencies and has met regularly over the last two years to consider the development of the Draft Structure Plan.

Public consultation continued in October 2008 with a series of workshops and forums that were advertised in local newspapers and the Banyule Banner.  Attendees included residents, key landowners, employers, employees, developers, local businesses, community groups and organisations and government agencies.

The release of the first Draft of the Ivanhoe Structure Plan in 2011 was the next stage in gaining further community input into how best to guide the Ivanhoe Activity Centre’s future.

A letter and brochure about the first Draft was sent to people who live in, or close to, the study area of the Plan and those who have previously expressed an interest in the project.

In addition to this, Council has handed out the brochures in shopping centres such as Ivanhoe Plaza, community centres, churches, primary schools and through the Library, cafes, Ivanhoe Aquatic Centre and the three Council service centres. There has also been and advertisement in both papers and the several articles in the Banyule Banner.

Consultation has included - two attended information sessions with residents on 11 August, a forum with Library users, three information sessions in October, seven workshops in October-November, several large meetings with residents, a community walk and numerous individual and group meetings on the Draft Plan.