Project Status Updates

Project Status Updates – November 2023

Since our last update in July 2023, we have completed a number of technical reports for the Merrimu precinct, including: 

• Economic and Retail Assessment  
• Landscape Assessment  
• Sodic Soils Assessment 
• Long Forest Estate Biodiversity Assessment 

On 20 September 2023, the Victorian Government released Victoria’s Housing Statement: The decade ahead 2024-2034, in which it announced the Victorian Planning Authority will continue preparing Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) for new housing and jobs in Melbourne and regional Victoria. We will conduct further work across 21 projects to deliver more than 60,000 homes and 60,000 jobs. These projects will deliver a sustainable supply of greenfield land, and more jobs close to home. 

While Merrimu is not named in the Housing Statement, the project is active. We are working closely with our partners across Government to determine the planning impacts of habitat protection for the Victorian grassland earless dragon, for which investigations are ongoing. 

We review our work program regularly, including our ability to speed up the progress of projects. We will update you as soon as possible when there are significant advances for our planning for Merrimu. 

If you would like any further clarity on the status of our planning for Merrimu, please contact Chris Renkin at Chris.Renkin@vpa.vic.gov.au

Previous Project Status Updates

• Project Status Updates – July 2023
• Project Status Updates – April 2023
• Project Status Update – October 2022
• Merrimu PSP Landowner Updates – December 2021 (PDF)
• Merrimu PSP Landowner Updates – September 2021 (PDF)
• Merrimu PSP Landowner Updates – June 2021 (PDF)
• Merrimu PSP Landowner Updates – April 2021 (PDF)
• Merrimu PSP Landowner Updates – February 2021 (PDF)