New leafy suburb for Melbourne’s north

The Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne, has approved a plan for a new suburb in Melbourne’s north that will support a residential community of 6600.

The Quarry Hills Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) applies to 285 hectares of land and is bounded by Lehmmans Road to the north, Quarry Hills Regional Park to the east, an existing transmission easement to the south and E6 Public Acquisition Overlay to the west.

The plan includes 2358 dwellings, a village town centre, sporting fields, community facilities and land set aside for a potential government school.

Included in the PSP are plans for the Quarry Hills Regional Park, 180 hectares of parkland that will be available early on in the area’s development.

The City of Whittlesea will acquire the parkland as part of the post-PSP process, creating a leafy new suburb resplendent with open space.

As well as the new park, other topographical features of note include Darebin Creek, which runs throughout the area.

The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) has ensured the plans include several provisions that conserve the area’s environmental features and wildlife, such as the Growling Grass Frog.

The VPA has conducted several studies into the area’s Indigenous heritage, which will also be protected.

The new suburb will be a sustainable and self-sufficient community with access to local retail, education and associated community facilities.

It will be connected to the natural environment through physical and visual links to the Quarry Hills Regional Parkland the Darebin Creek corridor, and other natural features such as the River Red Gums located across the site.

Local development infrastructure levies will raise $244,085.98 per net developable hectare, which will be used to pay for vital community infrastructure and services, such as roads, a sports reserve, kindergartens and pedestrian bridges.

To learn more about this PSP, visit https://vpa.vic.gov.au/project/quarry-hills/