rate of 0.71% each year reaching approximately 173,000 people by 2036. Most of this increase is expected to be within the established urban areas of Lilydale, Chirnside Park and Mooroolbark. Generally Ranges has a low proportion of residents born overseas compared with other parts of Melbourne. Although earlier phases of immigration led to significant Italian, German and Dutch communities establishing in some areas. More recent arrivals have mostly been from the Burmese and Sudanese communities. Yarra Ranges also has the highest concentration of indigenous people in the eastern metropolitan region of Melbourne. Although the characteristics of Yarra Ranges’ communities vary, the population of the municipality is expected to age over the next 20 years with a decline in people aged between 10 and 24 years of age and substantial increases in people over 70 years of age. Yarra Ranges has a higher level of socio economic disadvantage than other municipalities of the eastern metropolitan region with particular pockets of disadvantage concentrated in some of its smaller rural communities. Many residents value living within or being in close proximity to the area’s scenic and bushland environments and have therefore traded off urban convenience for the lifestyle benefits of living in a more spacious and treed environment. Figure 1 Metropolitan Context Map 21.01-2 Key issues and influences The key planning issues facing Yarra Ranges are focussed around five strategic themes: Settlement and Housing Yarra Ranges has an unusual settlement pattern comprising suburban areas and an extensive Green Wedge area that includes scattered rural towns, extensive rural residential areas and rural communities. Some of these communities, especially in smaller rural localities have relatively poor access to a diversity of employment and education opportunities. The demographic characteristics of its various communities will continue to evolve and there is a limited diversity of housing stock to meet the anticipated future housing needs associated with these changes. Yarra Ranges has a well distributed network of activity centres that offer a range of services and employment opportunities in its suburbs and larger rural towns. The consolidation of additional higher density housing opportunities around these centres can increase the proportion of housing that is conveniently accessible to employment, community facilities and public transport. Further opportunities for additional housing and employment will become available in key strategic redevelopment sites. Although there are latent pressures to expand urban development into the Green Wedge there is sufficient capacity within established urban areas to accommodate future housing needs. Economic development
rate of 0.71% each year reaching approximately 173,000 people by 2036. Most of this increase is expected to be within the established urban areas of Lilydale, Chirnside Park and Mooroolbark. Generally Ranges has a low proportion of residents born overseas compared with other parts of Melbourne. Although earlier phases of immigration led to significant Italian, German and Dutch communities establishing in some areas. More recent arrivals have mostly been from the Burmese and Sudanese communities. Yarra Ranges also has the highest concentration of indigenous people in the eastern metropolitan region of Melbourne. Although the characteristics of Yarra Ranges’ communities vary, the population of the municipality is expected to age over the next 20 years with a decline in people aged between 10 and 24 years of age and substantial increases in people over 70 years of age. Yarra Ranges has a higher level of socio economic disadvantage than other municipalities of the eastern metropolitan region with particular pockets of disadvantage concentrated in some of its smaller rural communities. Many residents value living within or being in close proximity to the area’s scenic and bushland environments and have therefore traded off urban convenience for the lifestyle benefits of living in a more spacious and treed environment. Figure 1 Metropolitan Context Map 21.01-2 Key issues and influences The key planning issues facing Yarra Ranges are focussed around five strategic themes: Settlement and Housing Yarra Ranges has an unusual settlement pattern comprising suburban areas and an extensive Green Wedge area that includes scattered rural towns, extensive rural residential areas and rural communities. Some of these communities, especially in smaller rural localities have relatively poor access to a diversity of employment and education opportunities. The demographic characteristics of its various communities will continue to evolve and there is a limited diversity of housing stock to meet the anticipated future housing needs associated with these changes. Yarra Ranges has a well distributed network of activity centres that offer a range of services and employment opportunities in its suburbs and larger rural towns. The consolidation of additional higher density housing opportunities around these centres can increase the proportion of housing that is conveniently accessible to employment, community facilities and public transport. Further opportunities for additional housing and employment will become available in key strategic redevelopment sites. Although there are latent pressures to expand urban development into the Green Wedge there is sufficient capacity within established urban areas to accommodate future housing needs. Economic development
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