Victoria Develops Employment & Innovation Clusters For Sustainable Growth

Victoria is constantly changing. The population increases, new technologies and professions are formed, and everyone is looking for that opportunity that could fulfil their lives.

Realising this, The Victorian Planning Authority have a number of developments in the works as outlined in Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 to help keep Victoria sustainable for the future.

The developments are called ‘Employment and Innovation Clusters’, which refer to the developments related to the clusters of employment and business activity centred around medical, research and tertiary institutions across Melbourne.

In the clusters there are diverse activities in the fields of international education, research, health, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, science, business services, high-tech manufacturing and information technology. The VPA believe that these industries are the future of the Victorian economy and are expected to offer significant growth in jobs close to where people live.

There are currently seven National Employment and Innovation Clusters identified in Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 which will be a focus for jobs growth and strategic infrastructure investment to help expand employment opportunities. The VPA is planning for these areas to harness the potential growth and will be facilitating development of strategic sites that catalyses investment.

Here are some of the clusters, which are reaching their final stages of planning.
Monash National Employment and Innovation Cluster
The Monash cluster already exists but it is currently at the mercy of a growing community. VPA's plans are to raise its profile and its offerings.

The Monash cluster has Melbourne’s largest concentration of jobs outside the CBD, supporting approximately 75,000 jobs across a diverse range of industries and contributing over $9.4 billion to the Victorian economy every year.

It is anticipated that employment numbers within the Monash cluster could double over the next three decades, and the cluster is already experiencing road congestion, changing business needs and the expectations of a new breed of worker to sweep the area.

The plan for Monash is to facilitate economic development and foster the intensification of key commercial, education, research and health precincts.

The VPA is working closely with the Cities of Greater Dandenong, Kingston and Monash, as well as Monash University, research institutions, major businesses, representative organisations and the local community to finalise the action plan that would implement public transport improvements, promote public realm enhancements and establish new business town centres as destinations for new restaurants, cafes, hotels and retail that support employment.
Sunshine National Employment and Innovation Cluster

The Sunshine cluster is on the way to becoming a major jobs centre of the west’s new economy by delivering key resources like teaching, healthcare services, medical research, education, transport, business and retail services.

Sitting at the junction of key rail and road networks, the Sunshine cluster will aim to provide major public service facilities for the growth areas of Melton, Sunbury and Wyndham, and beyond to the western region of Victoria.

The VPA has completed consultation on the cluster's draft framework plan and is finalising its plan to submit to the Minister for Planning for approval.

The Sunshine cluster is located about 14km west of Melbourne’s CBD, has strong connections to the Melbourne city centre, Tullamarine Airport, the Port of Melbourne and Melbourne’s western suburbs.

The VPA said Sunshine is one of Victoria’s industrial heartlands and currently employs approximately 14,600 workers.

Having completed a Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), The VPA plan to take the 775-hectare East Werribee precinct and develop a new commercial precinct with a new town centre, health and learning precinct, enterprise precinct and a business precinct, as well as providing new homes to support this employment.

The precinct will be accessible by freeway while the planned Point Cook South West and Wattle Avenue residential communities outlined in the masterplan will include a variety of housing types and facilities.

East Werribee is reportedly the largest undeveloped surplus State Government land in metropolitan Melbourne, and comprises the 400-hectare site known as the East Werribee Major Development Parcel.

Land covered by the PSP, which is owned by the State Government, has been used for agriculture and research for 100 years. Once complete, the new precinct is expected to create opportunities for 58,300 local jobs as well as homes, key infrastructure, advanced integrated water cycle management, sports facilities, and local parks.
La Trobe National Employment and Innovation Cluster
Armed with a completed draft framework plan and awaiting Minister approval, the VPA intends on taking the La Trobe cluster, located north-east of Melbourne’s CBD, and transforming it from a place with a number of separate important institutions and places to an integrated, "hyper-productive" city, focussing on boosting jobs in education and research, health and advanced manufacturing.

The La Trobe cluster is made up of the Northland Employment Precinct, La Trobe University Precinct, the Heidelberg Activity Centre and the Heidelberg West Industrial Precinct.

In order to successfully combine them, the Northland area will become a higher density mixed-use precinct offering modern offices, hotel and conference facilities, public open spaces, dining and café destinations and business services, harnessing technology and repurposing industrial buildings.

Heidelberg activity centre will focus on its growing economy, centred on Burgundy Street, by revitalising its train station with links to the surrounding hospitals.

Heidelberg west industrial precinct will become a modern business environment with new offices and research and development premises including advanced manufacturing that relates to La Trobe University and supports a growing residential community with new tree lined street networks for public transport, pedestrians and cyclists.