Draft Boroondara Open Space Strategy

Council has prepared a Draft Open Space Strategy and would like your feedback.

The provision of adequate open space in Boroondara is essential and we believe the draft Boroondara Open Space Strategy (BOSS) will go a long way to retaining, improving and planning for future community needs.

The draft strategy provides a vision for improving open space in Boroondara. It aims to build on the excellent system of open space in the City to meet growing and changing needs of the community and protection of the natural and cultural environment. This includes establishing a fair and equitable open space contribution framework.

The key outcomes of the draft strategy include:

Providing an adequate amount of open space.
Implementing a 4% fixed contribution rate on future development with the flexibility to increase the rate on strategic development sites. This rate is subject to review following consultation on the draft strategy.
Improving health, wellbeing and social connectedness of the community.
Improving and protecting biodiversity values.
Improving sustainable management practices in open space.
Preparing plans to guide future upgrades of selected open space.
Protecting cultural heritage values of open space.

The draft strategy will be available for community feedback until Wednesday 29 February 2012. The final strategy is likely to be considered by Council in the second half of 2012.

What is open space?

Open space is all publicly owned land that is set aside primarily for recreation, passive outdoor enjoyment and nature conservation. This includes public parks, gardens, reserves, waterways, civic forecourts and plazas.

Other public places such as streets and school grounds are recognised as potentially contributing to the open space network but they are not the focus of this draft strategy.

These places are not reserved primarily for public recreation, resort or parklands but for transport and education.

What is an open space strategy?

The draft open space strategy provides a strategic framework to guide the future provision, design and management of public open space in Boroondara over the next 15 years. It includes:

Policy directions and guidelines to achieve best practice in the design and management of open space.
An action plan with prioritised recommendations on how open space can be improved by suburb.
An open space contributions program that justifies the collection of funds to improve open space on behalf of the future community.

Research for the draft strategy included:

Consultation with the community and key stakeholders via meetings and surveys to all households.
Analysis of the consultation results to understand what the community values about open space and any issues that limit the current use or value of it.
Site visits and assessment of all existing open space.
Analysis of the distribution, quality and amount of open space on a city wide and suburb basis.
Review of Council's open space contribution framework.
Review of relevant Council and Victorian Government documents.

Get a copy of the full strategy:

Copies of the draft strategy are available to download electronically.

You can also download the each chapter of the strategy individually.

Alternatively hard copies are available for viewing at all Council's customer service centres and libraries.

What are the recommendations for my area?

Recommendations for precincts with larger activity centres

Overview (pdf, 60.06 KB)
Camberwell (pdf, 1.04 MB)
Hawthorn East (pdf, 694.28 KB)
Hawthorn (pdf, 1.07 MB)
Kew (pdf, 1.13 MB)
Balwyn/Mont Albert (pdf, 1.18 MB)
Surrey Hills (pdf, 542.17 KB)
Canterbury (pdf, 853.54 KB)

Recommendations for precincts with smaller activity centres

Overview (pdf, 57.47 KB)
Ashburton (pdf, 572.72 KB)
Balwyn North (pdf, 693.09 KB)
Deepdene (pdf, 364.34 KB)
Glen Iris (pdf, 672.21 KB)
Kew East (pdf, 464.64 KB)

To comment:

The draft strategy is available for community consultation and feedback until Wednesday 29 February 2012.

Information leaflet and feedback form

An information leaflet and feedback form summarising the key outcomes has been posted to all Boroondara households and property owners.

Download an electronic version of the information leaflet (without feedback form).

Feedback can be submitted electronically via this online pdf form.

To request additional printed copies of the feedback form call 9278 4534 to speak to a Council officer.

Information session

Attend an information session at one of the following locations and times. To register your attendance please call 9278 4534 or email Strategic Planning.

Camberwell Council Office (general public)
Wednesday 7 December 2011
6.30 pm to 8.00pm
Boroondara Room
8 Inglesby Road, Camberwell 3124 (Google map)

Ashburton Library (community groups)
Wednesday 8 February 2012
6.30 pm to 8.00pm
154 High Street, Ashburton 3147 (Google map)

Balwyn Library (general public)
Saturday 11 February 2012
10.30am to 12.00pm
336 Whitehorse Road, Balwyn 3103 (Google map)

Kew Library (general public)
Monday 13 February 2012
6.30 pm to 8.00pm
Cnr Cotham Road and Civic Drive, Kew 3101 (Google map)