This chapter relates the concept of ‘risk’ to those of ‘liveability’, ‘amenity’ and ‘wellbeing’ by investigating how risk and hazard can affect the Australian vulnerability to bushfires and flooding. The most catastrophic fire and flood events in Australia’s post-colonial history have occurred in recent years. The concept of ‘risk’ is defined and then explored through an examination of two elements: ‘likelihood’ and ‘consequence’. Two factors are contributing to increased levels of bushfire and flood risk: the large-scale expansion of settlement particularly into high-risk peri-urban areas, and increasing levels of risk because of anthropogenic climate change. The possibility of rapid non-linear change requires planning for alternative futures and rigorous alternative policies. Multiple climate hazard events are occurring at the same time in the same or connected locations, or multiple climate extremes in succession. The need to consider complex interacting social and ecological factors in analysing risk through integrated governance arrangements is now increasingly important. The most effective means of anticipating risk to prevent or limit harm is the use of land use planning systems. However, Australian governments have increasingly adopted neo-liberal planning systems which have encouraged large-scale expansion of settlement particularly into peri-urban areas which are among the world’s most vulnerable to catastrophic bushfire and flood. Widespread abandonment of residential properties and even townships is now increasingly likely.

Extensive literature on peri-urban issues has paid only occasional attention to the details of spatial planning systems and their impacts on peri-urban natural resources. This paper investigates the relationships between a deregulated land use planning system and declining natural resource and agricultural values in the peri-urban area of Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, Australia. This paper uses a case study area consisting of Melbourne’s green belt and an outer peri-urban area northeast of Melbourne, concentrating on the effectiveness of an urban growth boundary and controls over land uses. A document analysis was undertaken on the provisions of the land use planning system, supporting documents, urban and peri-urban development, land ownership, land uses, and natural resources in the case study area. Threats from urban and rural–residential development, land fragmentation, and land development were identified, and the impacts of the planning system on current and future land uses were analysed. Particular reference was given to the debate on the concept of multi-functional land uses. This paper investigates the likely impacts of peri-urban development and the spatial planning framework on a range of sectors, particularly agricultural production, biodiversity, and landscapes, and highlights the failure of the spatial planning system to protect remnant peri-urban natural resources from increasing threats.

Peri-urban regions retain important natural resources and provide services essential to human well-being. Yet they are under unprecedented threat globally from development. Peri-urban regions collectively constitute a vital global natural and human resource yet no international agreement recognises their value. Their future is bound up with national, regional and local priorities resulting in their incremental loss. An understanding of peri-urban theory can contribute to a recognition by decision makers of their long-term value. Theory can underpin practice by providing a consistent framework to policy and decision-making. It can help resolve whether to protect or develop peri-urban regions by contributing to an understanding of the relationships between agriculture, biodiversity, water, landscapes and social and economic development. It can also explain the place of peri-urban spatial issues and the role of governance along with how techniques such as how urban growth boundaries and green belts relate to metropolitan growth and land supply.

The consensus of using the compact city as a model for urban sustainable development has inevitably led to governments restricting outer urban expansion as an urban management tool. Urban growth boundaries (UGBs) have become one of the most widely used policy tools to achieve this goal. To evaluate the impact of UGBs on urban sustainable development in Melbourne, Australia, we compare the temporal and spatial changes of population, dwelling density, and growth before and after the implementation of the UGB policy in the Melbourne metropolitan area. The results indicate that, since the implementation of the UGB policy, the urban population, dwelling density, and growth have significantly accelerated; however, nearly half of the new population is located on the urban fringe. Based on the pressure of population growth, the UGB in Melbourne has been adjusted frequently, which has reduced its binding force on urban growth. Herein, we focus on the reasons for amendments to the Melbourne UGB, namely, urban density and the intensity of urban land use and compare the UGB policies of the Melbourne and Portland, Oregon (USA), metropolitan areas. We argue that the state government should restrict urban growth boundaries and increase urban density. At the same time, UGB policy must be coordinated with broader government policy, such as urban land use, urban transportation, and environmental planning, and a mechanism should be established to release land supply in defined areas. In addition, governments should expand public participation in the UGB amendment process and in supporting the implementation of the UGB policy

Peri-urban landscapes are some of the world’s most vulnerable areas. Although they are often thought of simply as land awaiting development, these landscapes retain important natural resources and make valuable contributions to agriculture, water use, biodiversity conservation, landscape preservation and human well-being. Billions of people use them and enjoy their natural values. Their continuing loss threatens to alter our relationships with nature and have a negative impact on the environment. The Future of the Fringe first explores the history of peri-urban areas, international peri-urban policy and practice, and related concepts. It analyses internationally relevant issues such as green belts and urban growth boundaries, regional policy, land supply and price, and the concepts of liveability, attractiveness, well-being and rural amenity. It then examines a range of Australian peri-urban issues, as an extended case study. The book argues for a precautionary approach so that we retain the greatest number of options to adapt during rapid and unprecedented change.

This paper argues that the capacity for metropolitan wide integrated planning coupled with underpinning governance ideology, not an independent planning authority, is most important for successful city planning, using Melbourne, Australia, as a case study. Advocates of independent planning commissions argue that such bodies are more likely to plan a city as a unitary system on the basis of evidence, expertise and policy in place of political considerations. However, such bodies are not the only effective means of achieving metropolitan governance. Three alternative successful urban governance models are examined: vertically integrated models, coordination of independent powerful local authorities, and state control over metropolitan governance coupled with regulatory land-use policies. The model of planning governance adopted for Melbourne in the 1980s combined strong centralised government overview of the planning system with cross-sectoral policy while delegating defined powers to local authorities. Its regulatory provisions were an explicit rejection of neoliberalism and led to accountable, efficient decisions from democratically elected state and local governments. Its eventual replacement by neo-liberal governance was a key factor leading to fragmentation and an end to continuity in metropolitan wide urban planning.

Decisions about future land use are complex and involve a wide range of factors. The perceptions, intentions, and interests of the stakeholders involved are usually unpredictable. Different stakeholders manage land by choosing different future options and revealing different expectations. Greater proximity to built-up areas confronts farmers with challenges about future land use and land cover change (LUCC). This study aims to identify how external drivers can affect farmers' future LUCC intentions focusing on conversion of agricultural land to urban development. We explore two scenarios projected for the time horizon of 2025 based on farmers' LUCC intentions: A0 - current social and economic trend; and B0 - increasing demand for urban development. We selected the Tones Vedras municipality (Portugal) as case study, an area predominantly agricultural but with a progressively urban intensification in the past two decades. We conducted interviews to capture the farmers' LUCC intentions and modelled an artificial neural network - a multilayered perception to allocate the potential areas for urban development. Parishes with the highest urban pressure were identified using a cluster analysis. These were compared with areas expected to be urbanized (defined in the master plan). Results suggest an increasing farming intensity in the A0 scenario, and an urban growth increase of more than 40% in the B0 scenario, with negative impacts on farming expansion. The outcomes can be applied to spatial planning instruments in order to assist planners to define land transformation priorities and adjust them to spatial trends.

Unprecedented urbanisation poses the greatest threat to green belts in their history. In a vast literature, surprisingly few books review international and even national policy and practice on urba...

For more than a decade, Melbourne has had the fastest-growing population of any Australian capital city. It is expanding outward while also growing upward through vast new high-rise developments in the inner suburbs. With an estimated 1.6 million additional homes needed by 2050, planners and policymakers need to address current and emerging issues of amenity, function, productive capacity and social cohesion today. Planning Melbourne reflects on planning since the post-war era, but focuses in particular on the past two decades and the ways that key government policies and influential individuals and groups have shaped the city during this time. The book examines past debates and policies, the choices planners have faced and the mistakes and sound decisions that have been made. Current issues are also addressed, including housing affordability, transport choices, protection of green areas and heritage and urban consolidation. If Melbourne’s identity is to be shaped as a prospering, socially integrated and environmentally sustainable city, a new approach to governance and spatial planning is needed and this book provides a call to action.

Building on the scientific literature, this article first summarises the socio-environmental impacts of land-use change expected to occur in high amenity Australian peri-urban areas, involving in particular, the effects of land development on agriculture, biodiversity, landscape character, bushfire risk and social factors. Second, the current spatial planning framework and its distribution in seven municipalities in Victoria, Australia, is critically analysed, and records of approved planning permits are related to this framework to assess the challenges posed by peri-urban growth. We argue that the current planning framework supports a static approach which does not address foreseen challenges and lacks strategic power. Both the strategic framework and the development approval process lead to unanticipated, cumulative impacts and contestation. A more coordinated, less urban-centric approach to planning and the introduction of rural land-use plans would substantially address some of the issues encountered.

International airports make significant contributions to state economies but can detract from local and regional amenity. Australian studies have examined the growth and management of major Australian airports particularly the gateway city of Sydney, and land-use issues associated with airport commercial developments. However, the impacts on future airport operations of incremental urban encroachment onto green belts around airports have been largely ignored. Development around some Australian airports is adding new housing estates to land close to airports. Such development threatens the curfew-free status of Melbourne Airport, the nation's second largest airport, particularly when coupled with the construction of a planned third runway. This paper examines the failures of Commonwealth, State and local policy and planning systems to prevent extensive urban encroachment over the past 50 years in the green belt surrounding Melbourne Airport and the reciprocal impacts from this development. The threat to airport operations from residential development can only worsen as the projected contribution of Melbourne Airport to the state economy and passenger numbers set to double between 2025 and 2033. The paper examines key planning decisions, relates these to policy and institutional failures, and points to the need for integrated sectoral planning to minimise further impacts and threats.

Peri-urban agricultural production remains important globally and its value will increase as the impacts of climate change, energy costs, rising world population and changing patterns of food consumption are felt. Maintaining the natural resource base for food production around cities will become an increasingly important part of city planning. Yet peri-urban areas continue to undergo radical change over much of the world, displacing traditional agriculture and reducing the capacity of cities to adapt to non-linear change. Urban resilience is best maintained through a regional approach which connects urban and peri-urban systems. Such system relationships are examined in a case study focused on the city of Melbourne in South-East Australia. Peri-urban Melbourne produces a significant proportion of the fruit and vegetables grown in the state of Victoria, but agricultural production on the city's outer fringe is under pressure from rapid urban development. This case study examines three scenarios which relate rural and urban land supply and demand, and explore land use planning techniques for limiting rural land development and transferring demand for rural land to regional settlements. It argues that stronger statutory planning measures are required to stem the loss of peri-urban agricultural land and that these will need to be accompanied in future by a range of other strategies to strengthen the resilience of city food systems.