The story of the Melbourne Urban Growth Boundary

Planning is a complex endeavour of competing objectives and interests. This research explores these tensions through the Melbourne Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), and specifically, how narrative frames influence the integration of social, environmental, and economic objectives (or logics) in strategic spatial planning, as components of urban sustainability. The research uses a single study approach to explore policy processes that brought the UGB into Melbourne’s strategic planning lexicon, including the initial formalization of the UGB (Department of Infrastructure, 2002). The UGB changed location four times in its first decade of existence, providing a useful illustration of the ways strategic planning is influenced by complex institutional and governance settings, and pressures of urbanization, whilst overtly attempting to ensure growth and development is undertaken in a contained, considered, and sustainable manner. A strong critique by McLoughlin (1992), reiterated decades later argues that the “effective abandonment of the UGB” amounted to “serious failure” (Buxton, Goodman, & Moloney, 2016, p.91). These assessments suggest a persistent lack of awareness of city dynamics and research insights; citizen needs, interests, and desires; and the private sector dominance in planning.

Research questions and approach

This research centers around a key question: “Why did the UGB change so much within the first decade of its establishment?” Supporting questions examine how different logics are articulated at critical decision points, whose logics are prioritised, and ultimately what this reveals about the normative values of planning and urban sustainability. The research focusses on the effects of the dominant growth-dependent paradigm, and the ability of planners and other professionals to navigate uncertainty, acknowledge and negotiate value judgements, and address power imbalances expressed at key decision points and among different stakeholders and communities.

Following Flyvberg’s deep dive into one case study (1998), the research employs frame analysis (Schön & Rein, 1994) to examine how competing perspectives are articulated through implicit and explicitly stated values, behaviours and ideals, rendering assumptions and logics more visible as units of analysis. The research provides a macro lens on urban consolidation policy, and meso/micro lens through forty-five stakeholder interviews of those involved in the spatial planning process for Melbourne’s UGB. Stakeholder views are triangulated against frames evident in policy and regulations, to build on academic thought and practice related to urban sustainability and governance. Reflexive thematic analysis helped structure the approach.

This research aims to deepen the understanding of how narrative frames influence contemporary spatial planning practices and the integration of sustainability logics. Furthermore, it aims to articulate how values/claims are made in the spaces between rational planning, and dialectical/dialogical forms of decision making. Lastly, it aims to generate new knowledge about

integration of sustainability principles in early strategic decisions through strategic assessments; and to inform cross-departmental and governance approaches that aim for ‘partnership’ and collaborative approaches, through documentation of a practical example.

Key findings and takeaways

Findings highlight contradictory narratives about the success and implementation of the UGB, the planning controls and tools utilised to embed the UGB in spatial planning practice, and the equity of outcomes. The research questions the explicit statements of planning policy, how different stakeholders understand these, and whether they serve as objective measures to review policy implementation. Insights are provided into the nature of those involved in decisions, the decision points, the logics used to advise decision-makers on the need for urban expansion, and the role of governance, public participation, and sometimes unseen political imperatives.

Importantly, the research offers insights into the use of strategic assessment to address conflicting values, regional planning, and related governance implications. It raises new issues, such as who takes the strategic view of ‘sustainability’? Which level of government, which decision makers, advisors, or broader voices? Who gets to influence such processes? This case study highlights the power and central role of a few key actors and planner agency, with some voices heard clearly, while others were dismissed. The prevalence of developer and landowner pressure, the struggle to integrate sustainability logics at different governance levels, and the ways uncertainty and the ‘unforeseen’ (e.g. rapid population growth) are navigated reiterate the complexity of urban governance, particularly in the very early stages of strategic planning.

Emerging approaches such as strategic thinking for sustainability (ST4S) (Partidário, 2021), which focus on critical decision factors and different pathways for sustainability, offer an alternate or supplementary approach to Commonwealth-level strategic assessment, which is itself advocated through recent reviews as needing to be utilised more regularly (Samuel, 2020). There is scope for further research to understand how these approaches can embed sustainability thinking in a holistic way throughout the planning process. Such approaches and research could have broader implications as other cities continue to grapple with the ongoing challenges of managing and containing growth in a sustainable way.

REFERENCES

Buxton, M., Goodman, R., & Moloney, S. 2016, Planning Melbourne  Lessons for a Sustainable City. CSIRO Publishing, Clayton South

Department of Infrastructure, October 2002, Melbourne 2030 Planning for sustainable growth. State of Victoria, Melbourne

Flyvberg, B. 1998, Rationality and Power  Democracy in Practice. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

McLoughlin, B. 1992, Shaping Melbourne's Future? Town Planning, the State and Civil Society. Cambridge University Press, Melbourne.

Partidário, M. 2021. Strategic thinking for sustainability. In T. Fischer & A. Gonzalez (Eds.), Handbook on Strategic Environmental Assessment. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Samuel, G. A. 2020. Independent Review of the EPBC Act – Final Report October 2020. Commonwealth of Australia

Schön, D., & Rein, M. 1994, Frame Reflection: Towards the Resolution of Intractable Policy Controversies. Basic Books, New York

Biography

Tanya Burdett (MEnvSt; BAppSc (Planning)) is a Registered Planner (Planning Institute of Australia), Licensed International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Trainer in the Global Learning Pathway and former Sessional Member, Planning Panels Victoria (2018-2023). With 30+ years’ experience in planning, impact assessment and community engagement, Tanya is a PhD Candidate (University of Melbourne). Her research brings her practical experience together with theory on urban sustainability, impact assessment and community engagement. Tanya has led national level strategic environmental assessment in the UK (transport, planning and wastewater sectors), and has extensive experience throughout the UK and Asia-Pacific region.

ORCID: 0000-0002-3042-7131