10/13/2010
Integrating community and
landscape values in planning for
multi-functional rural landscapes
The Future of Farming in Rural
Amenity Landscapes
The Role of Land Use Planning and
Governance in a Changing
Landscape
Jane Roots, PhD candidate,
Supervisors: Dr Joanne Millar, Dr Rik Thwaites, Dr Rod Griffith
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10/13/2010
• Context & Research Questions
• Methodology
• Discussion of findings to date &
emerging drivers
Rural landscapes, decision-making,
farming and the future…
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10/13/2010
Area becomes
mostly residential
Land use conflicts
Higher land prices
Increased traffic
Pressure on farm
viability
Increased demand for
housing & development
Rural character
(amenity)
attracts new
residents
•Ageing farm pop’ln
•Commodity prices
•Drought
Conversion of
farmland to
other uses
The Cycle of Farmland Conversion
(adapted from Daniels & Bowers, 1997)
Research questions
1. What is the role of farming in amenity landscapes?
2. How does land use planning impact on farming activities in
amenity areas?
3. What is the role of governance in land use planning
processes in amenity areas and how is farming as a land use
affected?
4. What land use planning and governance options are there
for farming as a viable and sustainable land use?
Landscapes
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Theoretical approach
Previous experience & knowledge
Interactions with planners, land
management professionals &
involvement in community processes
Initial Propositions & construction of the
problem(s)
Relevant literature
Data from interviews
Data collection
Information from documents
Conceptual coding
Conceptual framework
Existing theory
Emerging themes
Analysis
Emerging theoretical concepts
The Place: Indigo Shire, Victoria
an ‘Amenity’ landscape
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Indigo Shire statistics
•
•
•
•
Population: 15,467 (2007),
Estimated to grow to 17,719 (2031)
Area: 2,016 sq. kms
Economy based on farming (beef, dairy, sheep, fruit &
viticulture) & processing of local primary produce
• Major manufacturing businesses are:
– Murray-Goulburn Co-op
– Uncle Toby’s
– Local wine manufacturing
• Low unemployment
Agriculture in Indigo Shire…
Contribution of agriculture :
• $151.3 million (2007); employs close to 650
people
• 503 farms
• Cattle (beef & dairy), grapes (wine), sheep meat,
apples, wheat, wool, triticale & honey
(Indigo Shire Council, 2008)
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Planning in Indigo Shire
• 43% of population lives outside of towns
• 2001-2005 almost 40% of all dwellings
approved were in rural areas
• 56% on lots smaller than 40ha
• 19% on lots larger than 40ha
• Up to 2006, Indigo planning scheme
was unique in Victoria: performancebased approvals, not default approach
• Case-by-case approach impedes
strategic decision making
Indigo Shire - Property size by hectare range
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10/13/2010
Indigo Shire - Lot size by hectare range
Victoria’s Planning Scheme
Planning & Environment Act (1987)
Victoria Planning Provisions
Minister for
Planning
State Planning Policy Framework
Local Planning Policy Framework
Council
Plan
Municipal Strategic
Statement
Local policies & plans,
zones, overlays, etc
Local
Council
Public consultation
Rural Land Use
Strategy
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10/13/2010
Data collection…Interviews
• Semi-structured interviews with farmers &
agency representatives
• Semi-stratified
• Targeted & snow-balling
• Observations of (public) community
engagement in planning processes & other fora
Finding Farmers…
• primary producers actively engaged
in a food or fibre business
• across all industries (grazing, dairy,
viticulture, horticulture, cropping)
• situated across the Shire
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Indigo Shire population profile
7
4000
Number of persons
3500
15
3000
2500
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1
2000
1500
1000
500
0
0-4
5-17
18-24
25-34
35-49
50-59
60-69
70-84
85+
Age Group - 2006
‘Valued’ landscapes & challenges
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10/13/2010
Issues arising
• Conflicts with neighbours/nonfarmers/non-compatible uses
• Land valuation
• Operating costs & labour
• Value-adding & farm-gate sales,
farmers markets
• Commodity prices
• Climate change
• Bushfires
Findings… Challenges
• Diversity in views:
“This is a farming zone and therefore [them saying] ‘as far as any
industrial farming noise goes, you have no right to complain
about it’ no, I don’t think that is fair, I think that is total
bullying by them.” LH12-F
“In my experience, most people who want that ‘sea change’, who
are looking for that country lifestyle, they actually look
forward to it - they actually like the noises of farming [in
relation to cropping adjacent paddocks].” LH19-M
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10/13/2010
Findings… Cultural expectations
• Optimism & opportunity:
“I reckon we’re in an ideal area you know we’ve got a local little fire
brigade and there’s six new young families moved into the district in
the last four or five years, yeah a couple of them have kids, and our
district has just become vibrant in the last couple of years.” LH7-F
“Our landscape has changed dramatically but it’s for the better; the
fact that there are 30 families up the road instead of five. We have
got used to it.” LH2-M
Findings… Socio-economic context
• Different approaches / responses:
“With land prices inflating, it has been hard. But we have bought
land over the last couple of years. Only because we see a
future of agriculture and we love living in this area and we will
more than likely continue to invest.” LH21-F
“We were being really quite successful as dairy farmers. But part
of the mantra I guess was ‘increase productivity, increase head
per hectare, increase production per hectare, production per
megalitre’, so clearly increasing stocking rates were the go, and
we suddenly took a deep breath and said we don’t think this
is… “ LH16-F “Sustainable” LH16-M
“Well… the price of land [has] stopped us from being able to just
grow our business to keep up with… I guess economically we’re
too small, and we haven’t been able to expand and we needed
to really because we’re not big enough to employ anybody and
there’s no future for our kids here.” LH9-F
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10/13/2010
Findings… Planning
• Not a lot of direct involvement
• Default size for subdivision in Farming Zone (40ha) is “too
small to sow, too big to mow”
“I cannot see why they’ve got to hold it at forty hectares because
we can just see with these [rural residential landholders] that get
these forty hectares, I finish up with thirty of them… they want to
rent it to you or share farm it or sell it to you because they just
can’t handle it.” LH7-M
“I had a bloke wanting to buy 5 acres off me a couple of year’s ago
and I said no, on principle I couldn’t, and it’s hard to argue
because I know another fellow had 3 kids and wanted a block off
each of them for a house and they say some people are going to
get hurt but it’s only going to be that initial, somebody might
lose initially, but you have to make a stand, like you are looking
at, like the future, food production”. LH8-M
Findings… Definitions
• Farming zone uses a broad-brush application Marginal land is treated the same as
productive land
– Difficulty in defining productive land
• Lack of certainty on the long term intention of
the land use
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“I think if you really want to be frustrated, get involved in planning
issues” LH3-M, Rutherglen
“Certainly there’s no question about the fact it’s the most difficult
thing that anyone could ever deal with, planning think. Maybe
it’s people’s attitudes that need to change, to accept planning
more, to accept the principles behind the decisions. I don’t
know.” LH6-F, Kergunyah
Questions……?
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10/13/2010
Related State government
strategies
• Ready for Tomorrow – Blueprint for Regional & Rural
Victoria 2010 – Regional Development Victoria
• The Hume Regional Strategy 2010 – Regional Managers
Forum/Ministerial Taskforce
• Land Use & Community Food Security 2010 Vic Local
Government Association & Vic Health
• Future Farms – Providing for Victoria’s Future Rural Land
Use 2010 – Dept Planning & Community Development
• Securing our Natural Future: Land & Biodiversity at a
time of Climate Change 2009 - DSE
• Northern Rivers Sustainable Water Strategy 2009 – DSE
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