■ It seems each state government wants to leave its mark with new planning rules and city boundaries. How does Plan Melbourne differ from previous plans?


It is more similar than different to previous plans such as the Labor government's Melbourne 2030. With one of the world's largest cities in geographic terms, spanning nearly 10,000 square kilometres, recent blueprints for Melbourne have attempted to limit Melbourne's sprawl; this plan is no different and talks about setting a firm boundary. Easier said than done.


The new plan also wants to use what we have in a better way; more housing in suburbs that already have services (even though the plan also seeks to protect the suburbs from ''inappropriate development''); build near activity centres and employment clusters - government calls it ''common sense'' planning. This plan, the government tells us, is different because it will be delivered with the help of a new Metropolitan Planning Authority.


■ But doesn't local government have the power to approve and oversee new building?