Urban Land Authority

Full description

Establishment and Governance

The Urban Land Authority (ULA) was formed in accordance with the Urban Land Authority Act 1979, which came into operation on 12 March 1980. At this time the land of the former non-statutory Urban Land Council (VA 5294) was vested in the ULA and the cash reserves of the Council were transferred from the Housing Commission of Victoria (HCV, VA 508).

ULA was a statutory body, and initially responsible to the Minister for Planning. It was responsible to the Minister for Housing from 1981 until December 1987, the Minister for Housing and Construction until October 1992, then the Minister for Planning until it was abolished in 1997.

Functions

ULA's functions were to provide developed and development allotments, to facilitate the disposal of surplus government lands and to assist in the implementation of urban planning policies.

ULA worked closely with the Minister for Planning and Environment and the Urban Development Industry of Australia to undertake surveys of the land available for residential development within metropolitan Melbourne, and to provide information concerning the provision of services to these lands. As part of this responsibility, the Authority encouraged participation by reputable builders in promotions of their homes through display home villages.

A second fundamental role of ULA was to facilitate the disposal of surplus lands held by the Crown and public statutory bodies.

ULA also assisted in the implementation of State urban policies and played an important role in several major urban studies. Several of the ULA's key estates influenced the form of urban development around Melbourne. It also marketed the surplus land of the HCV when the Commission ceased its construction activities in 1981. The considerable land holdings of HCV became surplus to requirements and were vested in the ULA for disposal or development. All contracts, deeds, bonds, agreements and other instruments made or entered into by the HCV were to be enforced by the Authority.

ULA was also responsible for the management of land-related aspects of major state projects until 1987 when the Victorian Government Major Projects Unit (VA 2979) was established and assumed this responsibility.

Projects

The ULA Major projects included new estates in:

• Thomastown
• Keilor
• Keilor Downs (Monmia and Thornhill estates)
• Westerngate
• Westdale Park
• Altona (Queen Road and Altona Bay)
• Broadacre

The ULA was also involved in sales for establishment of schools, aged care and retirement villages, retail facilities and churches.

Replacement

In 1997 the Urban Land Corporation Act 1997 repealed the Urban Land Authority Act 1979 and established the Urban Land Corporation (VA 5295).