ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses the work of VicUrban, the Victorian Government's land development agency, focusing on the way it pursues sustainability through acquiring, developing and selling land on the fringes of metropolitan Melbourne. The intent in developing it has been to define the essential priorities that underpin VicUrban's work, and to assess the Authority's performance in achieving the goals set. The chapter focuses on the five measures that the draft charter identified for assessing projects commercial success, community wellbeing, environment, urban design excellence, and housing affordability. It assesses how VicUrban is responding to each of the policy challenges: housing affordability, service provision and environmental impact of new suburban development. The priorities, objectives and performance measures of the environment and urban design excellence sections of the draft charter highlight VicUrban's commitments to improving the environmental sustainability of suburban developments. The chapter also assesses VicUrban's pursuit of sustainability against three key issues that characterize outer suburban development since the 1960s.
