Amendment C241wsea to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme
The Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan was approved by the Minister for Planning and gazetted on 28 January 2022 under Amendment C241wsea to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme.
To view a copy of the final documents, including the Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan, refer to:
- Shenstone Park PSP – August 2021 (PDF) (Approved and Gazetted)
- Amendment C241wsea
Amendment C258wsea to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme
The Shenstone Park Infrastructure Contributions Plan was approved by the Minister for Planning and gazetted on 28 January 2022 under Amendment C258wsea to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme.
To view a copy of the final documents, including the Shenstone Park Infrastructure Contributions Plan, refer to:
- Shenstone Park ICP – October 2021 (PDF) (Approved and Gazetted)
- Amendment C258wsea
Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan
The Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan applies to approximately 628 hectares of land generally bounded by Donnybrook Road to the north, the Urban Growth Boundary to the east, the Wollert suburb boundary to the south, and the Sydney/Melbourne railway corridor to the west. The precinct lies immediately south of the Donnybrook-Woodstock Precinct Structure Plan area and east of the English Street Precinct Structure Plan area. The Donnybrook Railway Station is situated slightly beyond the north-west corner of the precinct.
The Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan implements a long-term plan for urban development. It describes how the land is to be developed, and how and where services are planned to support a new community. The precinct accommodates a mix of residential, employment, recreational and community uses which integrates with the neighbouring Wollert and Donnybrook-Woodstock Precinct Structure Plans.
The precinct also contains the existing Woody Hill Quarry and a biodiversity conservation area. Directly south of the precinct boundary is the proposed future Wollert Recycled Water Treatment Plant. An electrical easement exists to the south-west of the precinct boundary and a gas easement is situated in the east, running north-south. Each of these uses have recommended separation distances from residential uses.
Shenstone Park Infrastructure Contributions Plan
The Shenstone Park ICP was gazetted alongside the Shenstone Park PSP on 28 January 2022. An ICP is a document incorporated into a planning scheme to impose infrastructure contributions in relation to the development of land. It is imposed to fund the provision of infrastructure and secure land for public purposes.
About the Infrastructure Contributions Plan
An Infrastructure Contributions Plan (ICP) is the primary method for local councils to collect funds to contribute towards the basic and essential local infrastructure new suburbs require.
The type and location of the local infrastructure, including public land, has been identified in the Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan and was gazetted in January 2022.
Together, the Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan and ICP will guide and deliver new urban development in the area.
More information
- Fact Sheet #1: What is the act (Public Land Act 2018) (PDF)
- Fact Sheet #2: ICP implementation (PDF)
- Fact Sheet #3: Requirements for changed approach (PDF)
- Fact Sheet #4: Infrastructure Contributions Plans – FAQs (PDF)
Shenstone Park Panel Report
The Planning Panel hearing report for the Shenstone Park PSP has now been released.
For more information, refer to Shenstone Park – Amendment C241 – Final Panel Report (PPV) – March 2021 (PDF)
*Some submissions in Exhibited Documents were initially withdrawn. Numbered submissions are not sequential.
Interactive map of Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan
Background information
A Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) is a land use and infrastructure plan to guide the development of an area over time. It provides certainty for community members and developers by providing a long-term vision for how an area will develop in the future.
A PSP sets out the preferred locations of residential and employment land and infrastructure, and provides guidance for transport and parking, urban design, heritage and character, open spaces and integrated water management.
Together with the broader planning framework, precinct structure planning is an important part of the Victorian Government’s strategy to address population growth, housing and employment demands.
The plan considers the:
- existing natural features of the site
- surrounding uses
- infrastructure needs of the community.
Several technical investigations have been undertaken to prepare the draft plan including:
- economic assessment
- transport
- Aboriginal heritage
- quarry and sewerage treatment plant impact assessment
- utilities servicing.
The VPA has prepared the plan with the assistance of:
- City of Whittlesea
- government agencies
- service authorities
- key stakeholders.
The draft plan proposes the following changes to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme:
- Inserts Schedule 7 to Clause 37.07 Urban Growth Zone (UGZ7) and rezones the majority of the precinct to UGZ7. This schedule includes controls to facilitate land use and development controls for the precinct and requires land use and development to be generally in accordance with the incorporated Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan.
- Rezones a portion of Farming Zone (FZ) land to UGZ7.
- Rezones a portion of FZ land to Special Use Zone (SUZ4) to enable the protection and expansion of the Woody Hill Quarry located within the precinct.
- Rezones land from Rural Conservation Zone (RCZ1) to UGZ7 to reflect changes to the boundary of Biodiversity Conservation Strategy (BCS) Conservation area 28 which was approved by the Minister for the Department of Environment and Energy on 12 July 2017.
- Rezones land from FZ1 to RCZ1 to correct an error in the zoning map and to reflect the correct BCS boundary.
- Inserts Schedule 11 to Clause 37.01 Special Use Zone (SUZ11) and rezones land from RCZ1 and FZ to SUZ11 that is within the transmission line easement. SUZ11 includes land use and development controls to facilitate the development of the land generally in accordance with the PSP.
- Deletes Schedule 4 to Clause 42.01 Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO4) from land within the precinct.
- Applies Schedule 6 to Clause 42.01 Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO6) to land within the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy.
- Inserts Schedule 8 to Clause 43.03 Incorporated Plan Overlay (IPO8) into the Whittlesea Planning Scheme and applies IPO8 to land within the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and zoned RCZ within the amendment area.
- Inserts Schedule 9 to Clause 43.04 Incorporated Plan Overlay (IPO9) into the Whittlesea Planning Scheme and applies IPO9 to land zoned SUZ4 and SUZ11 within the amendment area which includes the existing and expanded Woody Hill Quarry and land within the transmission line easement, to ensure any future development within these areas is generally in accordance with the PSP.
- Amends the Schedule to Clause 43.01 Heritage Overlay and includes a new entry HO187 relating to 1030 Donnybrook Road, Donnybrook.
- Amends the Schedule to Clause 52.17 Native Vegetation to identify native vegetation exempt from requiring a planning permit for its removal.
- Amends the Schedule to Clause 52.33 Post Boxes and Dry Stone to identify dry stone walls exempt from requiring a planning permit for demolition, removal or alteration within the PSP area.
- Amends the Schedule to Clause 66.04 Referral of Permit Applications Under Local Provisions to require:
- Referral to the Secretary to the Department administering the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 of an application for subdivision, the use of land, or the construction of a building or carrying out of works on land within the ‘Woody Hill sensitive use buffer’ shown on Plan 15 of the PSP.
- Referral to the Environmental Protection Authority of an application for the use of land, or the construction of a building or carrying out of works on land in the ‘Sewage treatment plant odour buffer’ shown on Plan 15 of the PSP.
- Referral to the Department of Transport of an application for subdivision, use of land or the construction of a building or carrying out of works on land identified as ‘station car parking’ on Plan 3 of the PSP.
- Referral to the Secretary to the Department administering the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 for an application for subdivision, the use of land, or the construction of a building or carrying out of works for Accommodation, Convenience shop, Education centre, Food and drink premises, Display home centre, Hospital, Market, Medical centre, Plant nursery and Veterinary centre on land identified as ‘future residential area’ on Plan 3 of the PSP.
- Amends the Schedule to Clause 66.06 Notice of Permit Applications Under Local Provisions to require:
- Notice to the gas pipeline licensee under the Pipelines Act 2005 for a permit application for Accommodation (other than Dwelling), Child care centre, Cinema based entertainment facility, Corrective institution, Education centre, Hospital, Place of assembly, Residential aged care facility, Retail and Service station within the ‘590m measurement length’ shown on Plan 15 of the PSP.
- Amends the Schedule to Clause 72.04 Documents Incorporated in this Planning Scheme to incorporate the Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan, September 2019 and 1030 Donnybrook Road Statement of Significance, September 2019.
Major infrastructure has been planned for and land put aside. Individual land owners will be responsible for developing land for the benefit of the whole community. The PSP will ensure consistency and fairness to landowners across the precinct. In particular, for the provision and delivery of community services and planned infrastructure.
Note: The Shenstone Park Infrastructure Contributions Plan (ICP) will be introduced via a separate amendment and will introduce the associated Infrastructure Contributions Plan Overlay and schedule applying to the amendment area.
Project information
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) in conjunction with City of Whittlesea Council are working to prepare the Shenstone Park Precinct Structure Plan to guide new urban development and the delivery of key infrastructure within the Shenstone Park site.
A draft plan for the area has been exhibited for community feedback. The draft plan will deliver land to support a range of housing types, jobs, local parks, community uses and key infrastructure.
Once finalised, the PSP will be incorporated into the Whittlesea Planning Scheme to implement the final plan.
The draft plan responds to the existing significant features of the Shenstone Park precinct. As such, it will protect and enhance nationally significant conservation areas.
The plan will support approximately 3,650 new dwellings to accommodate around 10,000-11,000 new residents, with higher density residential development being enabled particularly within walking distance of the local town centre and community facilities.
The plan includes more than 151 hectares of open space, including local parks, sporting fields, waterways and conservation areas.
The plan also provides for approximately 131 hectares of employment land to create a hub for around 4,500 jobs in the long term.
The employment and residential areas will be well-connected by a permeable network of pedestrian friendly streets and paths, with Donnybrook Road to the north and the proposed arterial road (Koukoura Drive) along the eastern PSP boundary providing good main arterial road access.
Donnybrook Train Station to the west will provide good public transport access, and a carpark to service this station is nominated in the north west corner of the precinct.
The draft plan also includes:
- 1 local town centre
- 2 local convenience centres
- 1 future government primary school site
- 1 integrated community centre and neighbourhood house
- 9 local parks and sports reserves.
The Shenstone Park precinct is generally bounded by:
- Donnybrook Road to the north;
- Urban Growth Boundary to the east;
- Wollert Suburb boundary to the south; and
- The Sydney-Melbourne railway line to the west.
The existing Woody Hill Quarry resides in the south-western part of the precinct and has a current approved works authority. The resources branch of Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) has determined that these extractive resources located within and near Shenstone Park Precinct are of strategic importance. As such, the Precinct Structure Plan protects the existing operation and facilitates its future expansion.
The plan also accommodates the future operation of the Phillips Quarry, to the south east of the precinct.
The plan has been carefully designed to consider the impacts of the quarries. This includes a blast buffer which restricts the construction of buildings adjacent to the quarry. An additional buffer, namely the sensitive use buffer, prevents sensitive land uses (including residential).
An overall average density target of 19 dwellings per developable hectare is proposed in the PSP. The density is targeted to 25 dwellings per developable hectare within the town centre walkable catchment and 17 dwellings per developable hectare across the remaining residential land.
The draft plan supports a number of key employment areas that will support a diverse range of business enterprises.
- Local Town Centre including supermarket, specialty retail and commercial floor space.
- Employment in the education (proposed school) and social services (community centre) sectors.
- Northern western employment area with direct frontage to Donnybrook Road, with the potential to accommodate business uses such as bulky goods stores, restricted retail and showroom development. This area is located within close proximity to the employment land within the English Street PSP commercial precinct.
- Interface employment area providing for a mix of light industry and commercial uses and that will provide an interface with residential areas.
- Industrial areas to the south and west of the above-mentioned areas (and interfacing with the north and east flanks of the quarry) to accommodate transport and logistics as well as manufacturing.
- Protection of the existing quarrying activities as well as an area identified for future expansion of the Woody Hill Quarry.
- Employment associated with the proposed Yarra Valley Water utility facility within the south-west of the precinct and proposed sewage treatment plant immediately to the south of the precinct.
The draft plan includes a road and active transport network designed to accommodate the future growth, facilitate connectivity and movement within the site and to surrounding areas.
A new north-south arterial road, Koukoura Drive, along the eastern edge of the precinct will ultimately provide a 4-lane road connection between the developing areas in Woodstock to the north and the Wollert Suburb to the south.
The close proximity of Donnybrook Train Station will encourage the use of mass transit public transport, which will help to reduce the reliance on cars. The PSP also provides for additional 3.0ha car parking adjacent to the station.
Walking and cycling will be encouraged through a permeable network of pedestrian and cycling friendly streets and paths.
An Infrastructure Contributions Plan (ICP) is a simplified system for funding basic and essential local infrastructure required for a new community.
An ICP ensures that developers within a new precinct contribute to the cost of providing new intersections, local open space and community facilities.
An ICP may be made of one or two parts: a standard levy and/or a supplementary levy. The standard levy is a pre-set rate that may be used to fund transport, community and recreation infrastructure and public land provision. In particular circumstances, a supplementary levy may also apply to fund additional infrastructure needs.
For further information, refer to Infrastructure Contributions Plans.
The plan includes a precinct infrastructure plan that identifies key infrastructure to support future uses.
A standard Infrastructure Contributions Plan (ICP) will detail the local infrastructure items such as key road connections, integrated community facility, parks and sports-fields.
The Shenstone Park ICP will raise approximately $58 million from developers for the provision of essential local infrastructure.
The Growth Areas Infrastructure Charge will also levy approximately $50 million dollars to assist in the provision of state infrastructure such as the school.
About the precinct
The Shenstone Park Precinct is located in the City of Whittlesea local government area, in the North Growth Corridor.
The precinct covers approximately 628 hectares of land generally bounded by Donnybrook Road to the North, Urban Growth Boundary to the east, Wollert Suburb boundary to the south, and the Sydney-Melbourne railway line to the west.
The area will be defined by:
- its incorporation and celebration of natural and cultural features
- a centrally located Local Town Centre
- well-connected residential and employment areas
- integrated and connected network of open spaces, pedestrian friendly streets and paths
Development will have a strong emphasis on creating a high-quality urban environment with a diversity of housing choices at different densities that will be supported by landscaping, community facilities and strong connections to transport, including integration with the Principal Public Transport Network.
Donnybrook Train Station and a nationally significant railway line to the west will help to conveniently link the precinct’s residential and employment areas with other precincts as well as large activity centres within the North Growth Corridor.
Shenstone Park will also contribute to an employment hub for the north. This hub will be easily accessed by a train station and major arterial roads. Light industry and warehouse distribution jobs will thrive in the connected network.
Nationally significant conservation areas to the south-east and Merri Creek to the south-west will be incorporated into the design and layout of the precinct. These will help to provide a buffer between urban development and key existing economic and employment generators in the area, such as quarries.
Why is this work happening?
The area has been earmarked for urban development for more than a decade, and forms part of Melbourne’s North Growth Corridor.
Being part of the North Growth Corridor means that the land has already been identified to transition to land for new homes, jobs, schools and community uses.
The VPA is working to deliver on the Governments objectives to speed up the delivery of new housing and employment in Melbourne to meet the needs of a growing population and provide Homes and jobs for Victorians.
Providing more land for housing and jobs will mean Melbournians have access to a range of homes that suit different needs, budgets and lifestyle choices. It also helps put downward pressure on housing prices.
Land planned for residential and employment uses will be supported by community facilities, open space, shops, a proposed school and essential services such as water, sewer and electricity.