Ballarat North

The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) are a State government authority. The VPA are responsible for planning in new suburbs and renewal sites in Victoria. The VPA reports to the Minister for Planning.   

The VPA works closely with councils, government agencies and the planning and development community on integrated land use and infrastructure coordination for important development sites and precincts.   

Our major tasks include unlocking land for new homes and communities, facilitating housing diversity and affordability, job creation and better development of new communities in new and established areas.  

A Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) is a high-level strategic land use and infrastructure plan.  

A PSP normally identifies the potential location of housing, retail, parks, drainage corridors, schools, signalised intersections, higher order roads and other land uses.  

The PSP sets out the intended future land uses, and infrastructure outcomes which would ultimately be reflected by subdivision and development applications submitted and approved through Council once the PSP is approved.   

A Development Contributions Plan (DCP) identifies the costs of some essential infrastructure required to support a PSP such as the costs of signalised intersections, drainage corridors, retarding basins, and others. It will also set out a levy required for new development on a ‘per hectare of net developable area’ basis.   

The DCP is required since broad scale new development often contribute to or cause the need for new or upgraded infrastructure. It ensures that existing infrastructure is not over-burdened by new development.    

The DCP will be prepared concurrently with the PSP. All infrastructure items included must be strategically justified through a suite of background studies undertaken on the project. The DCP becomes a public document to be publicly exhibited along with the PSP. 

Third party funding is the method adopted by the VPA to fund the preparation of a Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) and Development Contributions Plan (DCP). Funding will facilitate the preparation or updates to technical work, stakeholder consultation, and associated work to prepare a planning scheme amendment to incorporate the PSP and DCP into the Planning Scheme.   

Third Party Funding Agreements are a contract between the VPA and a ‘third party’ (typically the landowner) to formalise funding arrangements. Typically, costs to fund a PSP is undertaken on a per hectare basis (i.e. the larger your landholding the more it will cost). The Agreements provide for staged payments over the course of the PSP process.    

Third party funding is voluntary.   

Normally, third party funding costs are estimated by undertaking the following steps:   

• Project is scoped to determine complexity and range of issues that will need to be addressed by the PSP (including required technical studies).  
• The VPA calculates the total estimated cost of the project, with estimates based on previous (most recent) actuals with allowances for variances based on inflation and the relative complexity of the project.    
• The estimated total cost of project is divided by the area of the precinct to deliver a per hectare funding rate.   
• The VPA then seeks Expressions of Interest from all landowners within the precinct to enter into Third Party Funding Agreements with requested amounts based on the calculated per landowner funding amount.   
• Following receipt of Expressions of Interest from landowners the VPA will recalculate each landowner’s draft obligation and provide this back to participating landowners to confirm their continued interest.  

The Commons are recognised as an important community and environmental asset and are not proposed to be redeveloped as part of the structure plan.  

Depending on the availability of funding through the Development Contributions Plan, the Town Commons may be improved to better recreational amenity and recognise the community and cultural values of the area.  

The Ballarat North precinct is split into two keys portions: the ‘core area’ and ‘expanded area’.  

The ‘core area’ was identified through the Ballarat Long Term Growth Options Investigation paper in 2018. Through this paper, the core area has been assessed as being largely available for development subject to a PSP.     

The ‘expanded area’ of the precinct was identified later, through Council’s public consultation on the investigation paper. The required technical analysis has not yet been undertaken for this portion of the site. As such, the definitive precinct boundary of the expanded area has not been confirmed. The final precinct boundary will be determined based on the opportunities and constraints found through technical assessments, to be commissioned by the VPA as part of the PSP process.  

The map displays the core and expanded areas of Ballarat North

The purpose of this project is to unlock developable land in Ballarat’s northern growth area.  

Ballarat is experiencing strong population growth, increasing demand on housing and land supply. Strategic planning in Victoria aims to ensure there is 15 years of land supply available. The supply can be met with a combination of greenfield, urban renewal and infill sites.  

The City of Ballarat requested the Minister for Planning formally appoint the Victorian Planning Authority to lead the preparation of the Ballarat North PSP. The Minister supported the request and appointed the VPA as the Planning Authority on 31 August 2022. The VPA will continue to work closely with the City of Ballarat and other agencies throughout the PSP process.  

The ‘core area’ of the precinct is to be rezoned to Urban Growth Zone (UGZ), as directed by the Minister for Planning ahead of the PSP being prepared.  

The purpose of the UGZ is to manage the transition of non-urban land into urban land and provides for a range of future land uses. There has been significant strategic assessment of the ‘core area’ and technical assessments have confirmed the area can be planned through a PSP.  

The ‘expanded area’ is yet to undergo the same level of strategic assessment which will determine the final expanded area boundary. Given this technical work is not complete for the expanded area, it would be premature to rezone this portion of the PSP area to UGZ.  

The Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning (DELWP) (now the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP)) were instructed by the Minister for Planning to rezone the Core area to Urban Growth Zone (UGZ) ahead of the precinct structure plan (PSP) being prepared. The UGZ will be introduced via 20(4) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and will give affect to the PSP once the PSP is approved and gazetted.

This rezoning is underway and is led by DTP whilst the PSP is being led by the Victorian Planning Authority (VPA).

The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is collaborating with Ballarat City Council to prepare strategic planning outputs. A governance structure has been established including the City of Ballarat and other key government agencies to ensure collaborative decision making throughout the development of the PSP.  

Once a project is completed, the Responsible Authority for implementing it over many years (e.g. approving subdivision applications) will usually be the local council. To assist in facilitating this, the VPA ensures regular engagement with council throughout the whole life of the project. 

As part of the PSP process, thorough technical assessments and spatial analysis of the precinct must be undertaken. Access to your land will be required to undertake these important background technical studies to inform the PSP. The VPA request access to land is within the precinct, regardless of if landowners are interested in contributing third party funding to the project.   

Access remains entirely at the landowner’s discretion, however, failure to grant access may lead to future costs for the landowner at the time of development, or uncertainty associated with satisfying statutory requirements when developing. If you wish to provide consent for the VPA or its representative to access your land, please complete the Consent to Access Land for Land Assessments form (Word) and return it to a project contact. The form can be emailed by sending a photo of the completed form to the project team.

Land used for equine training is adjacent to the precinct, north of Sharpes Road. The land to the south of Sharpes Road is proposed for inclusion within the precinct, as part of the ‘expanded area’, however this boundary is yet to be confirmed. Technical studies relating to the ‘expanded area’ will determine the development opportunities and constraints of the land and will inform the final precinct boundary. The PSP will also confirm the land use and development outcome proposed for this area.  

The Miners Rest Recreation Reserve has been included at the northwest of the precinct in the ‘expanded area’. Based on the results of these assessments which will help confirm the precinct boundary in the ‘expanded area’, the Reserve may be omitted from the precinct boundary or kept within it.  

If the Reserve is included in the precinct, the land will be retained as public open space and there will be the potential for Development Contribution funds payable as part of the development process to be used for the Reserve’s improvement.  

The Ballarat North Water Reclamation Plant is located directly south of the precinct, adjacent to the Western Freeway. The Plant is not included within the precinct. There is an existing amenity ‘buffer’ surrounding the plant, which is implemented through the Environmental Significance Overlay – Schedule 4 in the Ballarat Planning Scheme. This project does not propose any changes to the existing buffer and new sensitive land uses will likely continue to be avoided within this buffer area.  

The expanded area of the precinct boundary will be determined based on the strategic and technical assessments of the land. Once the expanded PSP boundary has been determined, the VPA will notify landowners.  

Landowners within the precinct are also encouraged to register your interest on the project website to receive regular updates on the progress of the project, including the information on the final precinct boundary once determined. Landowners may also contact members of the project team if they would like further information.  

Throughout the entire PSP process the VPA are actively engaging with the Registered Aboriginal Party for the area; the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (WTOAC). 

The PSP process will include a Cultural Values Assessment which will identify the cultural heritage values associated with the precinct and provide recommendations to inform the recognition of these values through the structure plan and subsequent development.  

The project is to be undertaken through the PSP 2.0 process. This process offers several opportunities for landowners and agencies to contribute to the development of the PSP. The VPA project team will facilitate a series of workshops throughout the process, which provide opportunities to pitch ideas for precinct outcomes, contribute the project visioning and design ideas. The best way to stay updated with the PSP process and get involved in upcoming workshops is to sign-up to our newsletter by entering your details into the Subscribe now fields on the right of screen.    

The wider community will be able to engage in this process at the public exhibition phase. At the public exhibition phase everyone is invited to provide comment on a Draft Precinct Structure Plan and Development Contributions Plan. All concerns will be considered, if they cannot be resolved these concerns can be referred to an independent Planning Panel who will make recommendations to the VPA on how best to move forward.  

The Burrumbeet Creek is identified as a key environmental feature of the area. An Integrated Water Management and Drainage technical assessment will be undertaken as part of the preliminary technical studies. These consultant–led assessments will model potential flood impacts and inform design outcomes which provide community resilience to flooding.  

A range of detailed technical assessments will be undertaken as part of the PSP process. Many of these assessments will have a strong environmental focus, identifying existing site features and recommending management or conservation approaches through development delivery. These studies include biodiversity, arboriculture, bushfire, land capability, geoscience and landscape assessments. The outcomes of these reports will inform the project outputs and ensure a high quality of ecological outcomes.  

Infrastructure will be delivered as development progresses in the precinct once the PSP is finalised.  

Important infrastructure needed to support the PSP will be identified through a Development Contributions Plan (DCP) prepared concurrently with the PSP.  

Once the PSP is finalised and planning applications are made to Council to subdivide and develop land, the landowner or developer would pay contributions based on the levy set out in the DCP or have the option undertake or works-in-kind towards the provision of infrastructure in-lieu of cash contribution.  

The Land Subject to Inundation Overlay (LSIO) is applied to land which has been identified as flood prone by the floodplain management authority, which is the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority in the Ballarat region. The purpose of the overlay is to ensure development effectively responds to the flood hazard and will not cause any significant rise in flood level.  

The Floodway Overlay (FO) is applied to land which is considered high risk of being affected by flooding. The purpose of the overlay is to ensure any development is compatible with the flood hazard, allowing the free passage of floodwater while minimising soil erosion and risks to waterway health. 

In the Ballarat North precinct, the LSIO and FO affect land directly adjoining the Burrumbeet Creek. The VPA is currently preparing a precinct structure plan (PSP) for the precinct, however these existing overlays will remain during plan preparation and once the plan is complete.  

Any planning permit application (including subdivision applications), where land is affected by the LSIO or FO, is required to demonstrate the objectives of the overlay are appropriately met. That may include submission of a flood risk report, development plans which identify the site contours, proposed finished floor levels and other relevant information. Applications will be assessed by Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority, through a formal referral and only supported where the flood hazard can be appropriately managed.  

The Environmental Audit Overlay (EOA) is applied to land which has been identified as potentially contaminated. The aim of the overlay is to ensure future land uses adversely affected by any contamination.  

The VPA is currently preparing a precinct structure plan (PSP) for the precinct, which involves undertaking a range of technical assessments of the precinct. The land capability assessment considers historic and current land uses and potential risk of land contamination.   

The EOA currently only affects a small portion of land in the southeast of the precinct, adjoining the Midland Highway. However, should the findings of the land capability assessment identify other areas which have potential for contamination, the overlay may be applied to additional parcels within the precinct.  

The EAO does not always prohibit future development, however, prompts further investigation of potential contamination before development can occur. When the PSP is complete, landowners who wish to develop their properties (in accordance with the PSP) will need to apply for a planning permit with the City of Ballarat. Where a sensitive land use is proposed on land which the EOA applies, landowners would be required to undertake a preliminary risk screen assessment. This assessment would determine the level of contamination and if any further investigation or remediation works are required, though an environmental audit process.  

The Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO) is applied to land where development may be affected by environmental constraints or be incompatible with existing environmental values.   

In the Ballarat North precinct, Schedule 4 to the ESO applies to land adjoining the Ballarat North Wastewater Treatment Plant. The purpose of this specific schedule is to provide a buffer area around the plant, preventing development which may have a detrimental impact on the operation of wastewater treatment.  

The VPA is currently preparing a precinct structure plan (PSP) for the precinct, however no change to this overlay is proposed as part of this process.  When the PSP is complete, landowners who wish to develop their properties (in accordance with the PSP) will need to apply for a planning permit with City of Ballarat.  

Where an application for development within this overlay is proposed, it must demonstrate there would be no detrimental impact on the operation of the plant. The City of Ballarat would assess this as the responsible authority.  

The Erosion Management Overlay (EMO) is applied to land which has been identified as prone to erosion, landslip, or other land degradation. The overlay aims to minimise land disturbance and inappropriate development in these areas. In the Ballarat North precinct, the EMO affects some land directly adjoining the Burrumbeet Creek in the northwest and areas surrounding Mount Rowan in the northeast of the precinct.  

The VPA is currently preparing a precinct structure plan (PSP) for the precinct, however this existing overlay will remain during plan preparation and once the plan is complete.  

Any planning permit application (including subdivision applications), where land is affected by the EMO, is required to demonstrate the objectives of the overlay are appropriately met. That may include submitting additional information on existing site conditions, the extent of proposed earthworks and/ or stabilisation methods. Based on the information provided, the City of Ballarat as the responsible authority will determine if the risk of erosion can be effectively managed.  

The Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) is applied to land where the bushfire hazard requires bushfire protection measures to be implemented. The overlay aims to ensure development is only permitted where risk to life and property from bushfire can be reduced to an acceptable level.  

In the Ballarat North precinct, the BMO affects some land directly adjoining the Ballarat North Wastewater Treatment Plant, directly to the south of the precinct.   

The VPA is currently preparing a precinct structure plan (PSP) for the precinct, however the existing BMO will remain during plan preparation and once the plan is complete.  

When the PSP is complete, landowners who wish to develop their properties in accordance with the plan will need to apply for a planning permit with the City of Ballarat.  Any planning permit application (including subdivision applications), where land is affected by the BMO, is required to be accompanied by:  

• A bushfire hazard site assessment  
• A bushfire hazard landscape assessment  
• A bushfire management statement  

All applications will be assessed by the Country Fire Authority, through a formal referral from the City of Ballarat. Development can only be supported where the bushfire risk can be reduced to an acceptable level.  

The Design and Development Overlay (DDO) is applied to land where specific development requirements are needed. In the Ballarat North precinct, schedule 18 to the DDO is applied, affecting a portion of the precinct in the southwest. This schedule relates to development which may encroach on the Ballarat Airfield, which is located to the southwest of the precinct. The purpose of the overlay is to prevent development which may create obstacles in the flight path and ensure the ongoing safe operation of the airfield.  

Assessment against this overlay is only required where the proposed building height is more than 15 metres. 

Any planning permit application where development is proposed to have a building height of 15 metres, or more is required to demonstrate the development would not interfere with the operation of the airfield.  The City of Ballarat as the responsible authority, in consultation with the Ballarat Aerodrome, would determine if the development is an acceptable outcome based on the information provided.  

The best way to stay involved in the plan development process is to register your interest in the project on the project website.  If you would like to learn more, feel free to contact members of the project team and sign-up to our newsletter by entering your details into the Subscribe now fields on the right of screen.