9. Transitioning the Greyfields

In October 2015 Plan Melbourne Refresh (DELWP, Plan Melbourne refresh discussion Paper. Department of Environmental Land Water and Planning, Melbourne, 2015) recognised ‘greyfield precinct renewal’ as a significant new model for more intensified and sustainable ‘urban’ redevelopment in the established, ageing inner- and middle-ring ‘suburban’ areas of the Melbourne Metropolitan Region. This chapter documents the critical phases of this 6-year ‘shadow urban transitions process’ (Greening the Greyfields project). Framed within a multilevel Transition Management schema, it addresses a set of challenging (‘landscape’) factors necessitating urban transformation together with the ‘regime’ barriers that are blocking more effective and sustainable forms of urban retrofitting of established low-density suburbia – at precinct scale. The transition process required articulation of a new model for greyfield precinct regeneration, necessitating ‘niche’ innovation in several critical arenas within the property development process that involve multiple stakeholders – government, industry and local communities. These innovations encompass new digital, governance, community engagement, codesign and planning instruments developed to support implementation of the new model for greyfield precinct regeneration.