A new
zoning application has been made by CoM for the Northern part of the city
including QVM and the Munro site which was purchased earlier this year. QVMAC
Trader Representatives asked for an explanation of the re-zoning and here is
the response from City of Melbourne.
1)
What are the primary reasons for rezoning the Market land?
The Queen Victoria
Market (QVM) is currently located in the Capital City Zone (CCZ) and
proposed Amendment C245 to the Melbourne Planning Scheme (MPS) proposes to
rezone the QVM to the following zones;
·
for the area comprised of the Upper Market, Lower Market, Queen Corner Building
and Queen Street: to Public Use Zone (PUZ);
·
for the area of the current car park proposed for the public open space: to
Public Park and Recreation Zone (PPRZ)
The State Government
Practice Note No 2. (PN2) highlights that the purpose of the PUZ is to identify
areas of public land that are of particular significance, and which warrant
protection by reason of that significance. The PUZ is not to be
applied merely because the land in question is owned by a public body.
The purpose of the
current zoning of QVM, CCZ Schedule 1 (CCZ1) is to ‘provide for a
range of financial, legal, administrative, cultural, recreational, tourist,
entertainment and other uses that complement the capital city function of the
locality.’
While, generally, CCZ1
is an acceptable zone for the market area such as QVM, Council is of the view,
QVM is an asset of particular significance to Melbourne, for which a greater
level of protection is warranted.
As with the application
of the PUZ, generally the justification for imposing the PPRZ
relates to the need for protection of the relevant land as result of its
special nature. It is usual for parks and recreational areas in municipal
areas to be zoned PPRZ.
2) What are the
procedures and times to bring this amendment into effect?”
Council will follow
procedures set out in the Planning and Environment Act 1987.
Information about amendments to planning schemes and the amendment process can
be found at the State Government website via the following link;
Before an amendment can
be prepared it must be authorised by the Minister for Planning’. Council’s
Future Melbourne Committee at its meeting of 12 May 2015 adopted the following recommendation from management;
‘That the Future
Melbourne Committee seek authorisation from the Minister for planning under the
Planning and Environment Act 1987, to prepare and exhibit Melbourne Planning
Scheme Amendment C245 Queen Victoria Market Renewal.’
·
An amendment to the scheme involves consultation with all the parties who may
have an interest in the amendment, or may be affected by it. Usually, an
amendment is placed on public exhibition for at least one month. The timeframe
following public exhibition is dependent on a number of factors.
·
If there are submissions which cannot be resolved by the planning authority,
the Minister for Planning will appoint an independent panel to consider
submissions if the proposed amendment is to proceed. When it receives the
report from the panel, the planning authority must either adopt the amendment,
abandon the amendment or adopt the amendment with changes.
·
An amendment becomes part of the planning scheme when it is approved by the
Minister and notice is given in the Victoria Government Gazette. In instances
where both a permit and an amendment are required, the Act makes provision for
a combined permit and amendment process.
3) “Does the rezoning
affect the original stated permitted use of Market land as per the Queen
Victoria Market Lands act 1996 Act No 78/1996 and that is as indicated in the
preamble “for Market purposes… and for other purposes related for Market use” ?
The rezoning has no
effect on the Queen Victoria Market Lands Act 1996 which Act remains on
the statute books.
