MONASH PLANNING SCHEME
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A VISION FOR MONASH
Monash 2021: A Thriving Community 2010 is a long term strategy developed by Council in
consultation with the community. It describes what the community values and states a vision
for the future, ‘a thriving community now and in the future’.
The document includes current Council strategies, outlines priorities for the next ten years
and provides direction and support to the Municipal Strategic Statement, the Council Plan,
Business Plan and Council’s Annual Budget and Report.
Council’s vision for the City of Monash has four primary areas of focus:

A fair and orderly community

An inclusive and safe community

A planned and connected city

A green and naturally rich city
To realise the vision and address the priorities for the City of Monash, Council’s work is
underpinned by the principles of:
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
Sustainability

Fiscal responsibility

Leadership

Accountability

Advocacy

Engagement
City of Monash Council Plan
The City of Monash Council Plan 2013-2017 builds on the community’s vision identified in
Monash 2021 by envisioning, ‘an inviting City, diverse and alive with activity, designed for
a bright future’. It articulates this with a mission of, ‘making a difference through
commitment, expertise and leadership’, and is guided by a set of principles that inform the
key directions and community outcomes by which Council will measure its success.
Key Directions
Ensuring our city has
inviting places and
spaces
Achieving a healthy
and active Monash
Fostering confident,
connected
communities
Taking action for
our future
Enhanced parks,
open spaces and
trails across Monash
Increased use of our
parks, spaces and
leisure facilities
Communities across
Monash celebrate
their creativity and
diversity
Our natural and
built environment is
protected
Access and safety
needs are attended
Residents inspired to
remain physically
active and healthy
Community concerns
about personal safety
are positively
addressed
Out local economy
is more resilient
Impacts of the
density of residential
developments are
monitored and
managed
Strengthened
community
resilience to the
harm from gambling
Communities and
organisations
promote respect and
equality and prevent
violence against
Innovation and
adaptability is
cultivated
Community Outcomes
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women
Activity Centres
across Monash
remain vibrant
A stronger sense of
community is
fostered within local
areas
Investment in our
children and young
people is continued
Modernising our
systems
Achieving this
through leadership
Principles
Ensuring a
responsive
organisation
Demonstrating
responsible fiscal
management
Under the Local Government Act 1989, Council is required to prepare and adopt a Council
Plan, a four year Strategic Resource Plan and an Annual Budget. The Council Plan guides
Council’s future corporate direction, establishes the strategic intent and sets performance
measures. It provides a framework for improving the social, physical, environmental and
economic well-being of the community over the next four years. Achievement is conditional
on Council’s effective management of resources as outlined in the Strategic Resource Plan,
meeting strategic objectives and delivering services in a sustainable manner.
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Council Values
The Council Plan states the values that are expected to be demonstrated in the delivery of
Council activities and services to the community. Council is committed to:

Responsiveness

Accountability

Integrity

Respect

Impartiality
This Municipal Strategic Statement embraces the vision and values articulated in the
Council Plan and addresses the key areas of urban development, transport and traffic
management, activity centre development, the environment and economic development.
More broadly it considers community, children, youth and family services, cultural diversity
and aged services, and identifies actions implemented through the planning scheme to meet
Council’s strategic objectives.
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Strategic Framework Plan
The City of Monash Strategic Framework Plan illustrates future land use planning and
development and aligns with Council’s key strategic directions (Map 2).
The Strategic Framework Plan should be considered within the context of the Council Plan
and Monash 2021. These documents describe Council’s strategic intent informed by
community aspirations and when focussed on the activities and responsibilities of planning
and development translate into specific requirements. These activities include the need to
provide for and manage the changing residential requirements of Monash’s population,
enhancing the quality and amenity of the physical and natural environment, improving
accessibility to services and facilities, maintaining the road and public transport system, and
creating and diversifying employment opportunities.
The Strategic Framework Plan identifies locations where specific land use outcomes are
encouraged including redevelopment, higher densities and mixed use developments. Areas
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MONASH PLANNING SCHEME
of significance for natural and cultural elements that may limit development opportunities
are also highlighted on the plan.
The major strategic directions include:

Identifying activity centres and promoting development and expansion of retail,
entertainment, community and related facilities appropriate to the centre’s role.

To direct residential growth to neighbourhood and activity centres, the Monash
National Employment Cluster and the boulevards (Springvale Road and Princes
Highway).

Conserving locally significant residential, commercial and industrial heritage
buildings, places, streetscapes and natural environments.

Developing sustainable employment opportunities to maintain Monash as a
predominant business location in Melbourne’s eastern region.

Identifying the Monash National Employment Cluster including the Monash
Technology Precinct and promoting appropriate “high tech” development around
Monash University and Monash Medical Centre.

Identifying areas for revitalisation of older industrial premises.

Retaining key regional assets that contribute to the economic, business,
educational, medical, sporting, recreational, cultural and social life of the
community and maximising their benefit to the community.

Integrating land use and transport planning of arterial roads, public transport
routes, and pedestrian and bicycle paths around major trip generators in
commercial, residential and industrial areas.

Retaining and enhancing the range of diverse and integrated open space reserves in
Monash that provide recreational and sporting experiences and activities to enrich
the quality of life and provide lifestyle options.

Maintaining and improving the environmental health of waterways in Monash.

Minimising the impact of stormwater flows in Monash.

Maintaining and enhancing the established garden city character of Monash on
both private and public land including along main roads.

Identifying existing treed environments where the special leafy character valued by
the community is to be protected by the Vegetation Protection Overlay.

Maintaining visually significant sites that enhance the image of Monash.
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
Map 2: Strategic Framework Plan
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Monash’s Garden City Character
Monash is known for its garden city character consisting of leafy, low-rise suburbs with
well vegetated private gardens and wide streets with street trees. This characteristic is
highly valued by the community and visitors to the municipality. High canopy trees are a
dominant feature, particularly towards the east of the municipality.
While the majority of the municipality has been cleared for agriculture and urban
development, significant areas of remnant indigenous tree canopy still remain. Subsequent
plantings of indigenous, native and introduced species have tended to follow planting
trends, with the older areas often dominated by introduced species and the new areas, those
which have been established since the 1960s, dominated by native species.
Planning controls introduced into earlier planning schemes and interim development orders
dating back to the 1950s provide high quality and well established landscaped environments
throughout Monash. These areas are characterised by significant plantings of trees with
spreading crowns which provide a soft, green, leafy environment that is visually appealing.
The garden city vision aims to maintain and enhance the established canopy treed
environment throughout the municipality, continuing its significance in defining the
character of Monash. This vision covers all land use types including residential, industrial,
business, commercial, public land, special purpose, transport and open space areas. It
includes the following elements:

Landscape areas within residential, industrial, business and commercial building
setbacks;

Landscape areas associated with highways, roads, streets and railway lines;

Reserves, open space corridors and easements; and

Identified significant landscape areas.
Strategies have been developed to ensure maintenance of the garden city character where
new development is proposed.
The Vegetation Protection Overlay identifies areas where canopy trees are of particular
significance and provides controls regarding removal of this vegetation.
The garden city character identified in the Monash Planning Scheme is a key consideration
when assessing development applications, especially with regard to:

Setbacks of buildings and car parks from roads, public spaces and other buildings;

Mass and scale of building envelopes;

Design of building facades;

Quality of building materials;

Location of car parking and accessways;

On site canopy trees and other vegetation used in landscaping;

Location of services;

Street planting;

Front fencing; and

Promotional material and signage.
Development proposals are required to consider the above elements in the context of the
garden city character to achieve the best overall design and development outcome.
The garden city character represents a core value held by the City of Monash and is an
important consideration in all land use and development decisions. Planning decisions
should seek outcomes which continue to contribute to, consolidate and enhance this
character and image.
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Other activities undertaken by Council to maintain the garden city character include
planting of street trees. Monash’s main roads provide some opportunities to develop
boulevard effects through the comprehensive planting of vegetation. Such roads include
Springvale Road, Wellington Road, Ferntree Gully Road and Princes Highway. Promotion
signs and large signs are discouraged to maintain the visual significance of these
boulevards.
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Key Strategic Statements
Strategic statements for ten land use and development issues have been developed.
Implementation of the strategies, further strategic work and other actions will achieve
Council’s vision for the municipality. The ten issues are described in Clauses 21.04 to 21.13
and are:

Residential Development

Economic Development

Activity and Neighbourhood Centres

Business Parks and Industry

Transport and Traffic

Key Regional Assets

Open Space

Physical Infrastructure

Heritage

Sustainability and Environment
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