Plan2Place Consulting was engaged by Swinburne University and Maroondah City Council to provide options for planning implementation approaches and pathways to progress the Greening the Greyfields project for two selected precincts in the municipality. Along with Peter Boyle_Landscape Architecture+Urban Design, we were also engaged to review the Greening the Greyfields (GtG) Design Guides and playbooks to guide development in each precinct.

Greening the Greyfields aimed to consider different approaches for the provision of affordable housing on private land in areas with an ageing population and housing stock due for renewal. Ideally this pilot project, once successfully implemented in Maroondah, could then be replicated to other renewal precincts throughout Melbourne. This can provide more housing at increased densities with improved on and off site outcomes in relation to car parking, site layout, amenity and landscaping.

Implementation advice was provided regarding potential planning options, approaches and pathways over the short to long-term periods to best implement the project. The use of local policy, different residential zones, overlays (including a Specific Controls Overlay or the Development Plan Overlay) and development contributions were all examined to deliver the desired housing outcomes within the current residential zoning for the precincts.

Plan2Place Consulting also provided expert evidence for Amendments C134maro and 136maro which sought to implement the project. The Amendments, largely as exhibited, were gazetted in November 2022.

In recognition of this pioneering project, Plan2Place Consulting, along with Maroondah City Council and Swinburne University, received a PIA Victoria award for planning excellence for the project in 2021.