Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is working on the Beveridge North West precinct as a significant contributor to the government’s forward pipeline of housing supply to ensure Victorians have access to affordable homes, and economic recovery is supported.
The VPA’s Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan sets out the long-term vision for the precinct and framework for urban development. The Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan applies to approximately 1,275 hectares of land. It is located in Mitchell Shire Council within the Northern Growth Corridor of Melbourne. The area is bounded by Wallan South Precinct Structure Plan to the north, Camerons Lane to the south, Hume Freeway to the east and Old Sydney Road to the west.
We are planning for the future community and working to protect the prominent landscape features of the area. The VPA has drafted the revised Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) to show how land is expected to be developed, and how essential services are planned to support the creation of a new community over the next 20 to 30 years.
The PSP includes more than 80 hectares of parklands and sporting fields. It also supports integrated open space, a trail network, seven future school sites and four local town centres. Our plan supports approximately 15,000 new homes and will deliver 3,000 new jobs by unlocking 920 hectares of land for residential and commercial development.
Planning Panels Victoria
The VPA prepared a draft amendment in 2018, to the Mitchell Planning Scheme for the PSP under the C106mith amendment number. This was heard at a public hearing before an independent planning panel process, by Planning Panels Victoria (PPV). The Panel made 17 recommendations resulting in changes to the Beveridge North West PSP and ICP.
For further information, refer to the ‘2020 PLANNING PANEL’ tab in the Supporting Documentation section at the bottom of the page.
The VPA prepared two draft Planning Scheme Amendments to incorporate the Beveridge North C106 Panel recommendations into the Mitchell Planning Scheme. The two amendments are:
- C158mith – which incorporates the Precinct Structure Plan Document and associated Planning Scheme Ordinance into the Mitchell Shire Council Planning Scheme
- C161mith – which incorporates the Supplementary Levy Infrastructure Contribution Plan Document and associated Planning Scheme Ordinance into the Mitchell Shire Council Planning Scheme.
The Amendments were placed on exhibition for over 10 weeks from 17 November 2021 to 31 January 2022.
In response to the recommendations of the 2020 Planning Panel, the revised draft PSP includes planning for an extractive industry and the area formerly known as Hanna Swamp site (now referred to as burrung buluk*). To provide certainty for the community, the VPA proposed an innovative approach to planning controls to limit any quarry’s operational life to 20 years and strict rehabilitation requirements.
* Note: These names have not officially been registered. They still need to be confirmed with the naming authority and Geographic Names Victoria, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
Ministerial Advisory Committee
A Ministerial Advisory Committee was appointed by the then Minister for Planning, The Hon. Richard Wynne, to consider three interrelated matters for the future of this community:
- the Precinct Structure Plan (Amendment C158mith)
- the Infrastructure Contributions Plan (Amendment C161mith)
- the Permit application for the quarry (VCAT reference number V1745/2020)
The Ministerial advisory committee was a mirrored process to the previous Panel, being a public hearing, with land owners and stakeholders having the opportunity to present to the Committee.
Due to COVID-19 and public health advice, the Ministerial Advisory Committee: Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan and draft Mitchell Shire Planning Scheme Amendments C158 and C161mith was held via video conference from Monday 9 May 2022 to 14 June 2022.
Next Steps
The Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) submitted its report on 14 October 2022. Timing of a decision and release of the report is at the discretion of the Minister.
Interactive map for Beveridge North West PSP
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 Future Urban Structure is the overall framework plan that provides high-level direction on future land uses, major transport networks, open space and activity centres.
Together with the broader planning framework, precinct structure planning is an important part of the state government’s strategy to address population growth, housing, and employment demands.
A planning scheme governs the way land can be used and developed within the bounds of the Victorian Planning System.
A planning scheme is updated from time to time to change the way land can be used or developed or to improve a particular scheme.
The VPA has prepared the plan in consultation with:
- Mitchell Shire Council
- government agencies
- service authorities, and
- other key stakeholders.
The plan considers the:
- existing natural features of the site
- surrounding uses
- infrastructure needs of the future community
Technical investigations have been undertaken to prepare the draft plan including:
- heritage: Aboriginal heritage and post-contact arrangements
- site suitability: contamination, geology, hydrology, groundwater quality
- sodic soils
- landscape & visual
- arboricultural assessment
- biodiversity: including at Burrung Buluk (former Hanna Swamp*)
- bushfire assessment
- community facilities
- economic assessment
- transport & movement
- utilities servicing
*Note, these names have not officially been registered. They still need to be confirmed with the naming authority and Geographic Names Victoria, DELWP.
Project information
The plan will see the development of the area as a residential and employment precinct comprising approximately 16,000 new homes for approximately 50,000 people.
In response to the recommendations of the independent planning panel, this draft PSP includes planning for a quarry in in the north eastern portion of the precinct. To provide certainty for the community, the VPA is proposing an innovative approach to planning controls which will limit any quarry’s operational life to 20 years. The proposal also imposes strict rehabilitation requirements. This approach will ensure the area can be transitioned to residential use after any quarrying. We are also making sure urban development happens in appropriate stages and sequence across the whole precinct to manage the proposed uses.
The new community will have access to four local town centres (LTC), two local convenience centres (LCC), four sport field reserves, a series of local parks, the enhancement of Kalkallo Creek and the provision of drainage reserves in the central part of the precinct.
The draft plan responds to the prominent landscape features by protecting the distinctive hilltops, undulating hills, Burrung Buluk (former Hanna Swamp*) and Kalkallo Creek. The draft plan includes more than 80 hectares of parklands and sporting fields and features a distinct integrated open space and trail network.
The draft plan proposes the following:
- 3,000 new jobs
- 380 hectares of open space (total)
- 7 future school sites
- 2 local convenience centres
- 4 community centres
- 4 local town centres
To ensure the area develops in an integrated way, the Amendment provides an overall structure for the area providing certainty in the development decisions and clarity regarding the cost and location of services.
The VPA has revised the draft Beveridge North West PSP to guide new urban development and the delivery of key infrastructure within the Beveridge North West Precinct. The VPA proposes to introduce an Infrastructure Contributions Plan (ICP) that applies to land affected by the Beveridge North West PSP.
The PSP plans for the provision of residential development, along with associated schools, community facilities, commercial opportunities, local parks, sports reserves, and natural landscape areas. It also establishes important new arterial road connections to the north and south.
The revised Beveridge North West PSP responds to Planning Panels Victoria’s recommendations by planning for a quarry in the north eastern portion of the site. This will be facilitated by including a Specific Controls Overlay (SCO) within the Mitchell Planning Scheme.
Burrung Buluk (former Hanna Swamp*), as per Recommendation 17 of Planning Panels Victoria’s report, will be accommodated by incorporating the area as Public Park and Recreation Zone (PPRZ) into the open space network. The area will be retained in Beveridge North West PSP to its full extent, with further technical work to be undertaken to determine the northern extent of the swamp and finalised under the Wallan South PSP.
Once finalised, the PSP will be incorporated into the Mitchell Planning Scheme to implement the final plan.
*Note, these names have not officially been registered. They still need to be confirmed with the naming authority and Geographic Names Victoria, DELWP.
Two draft Amendments are proposed to be introduced into the Mitchell Planning Scheme.
Draft Amendment C158mith proposes to implement the Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) by introducing a new Schedule 3 to the Urban Growth Zone to the Mitchell Planning Scheme (the Scheme) and applying it to the precinct.
The draft amendment seeks to allow for temporary stone extraction for a set period of time, ceasing no later than 31 December 2052, and provide for the rehabilitation of the land in the Works Authority 1473 area in the north-east of the precinct to reflect the end use shown in the Beveridge North West PSP.
Draft Amendment C161mith proposes to make changes to the Mitchell Planning Scheme to introduce an Infrastructure Contributions Plan (ICP) that applies to land affected by the Beveridge North West PSP.
Major infrastructure has been planned for and land put aside through the ICP. The PSP and ICP will ensure consistency and fairness to landowners across the precinct. In particular, for the provision and delivery of community services and planned infrastructure.
Please refer to the Explanatory Reports for detailed information about the two proposed amendments.
About the precinct
The Beveridge North West precinct is located in the Shire of Mitchell, approximately 40 kilometres north of Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD) and approximately four kilometres south of Wallan.
The PSP is 1250 hectares bounded by Wallan South PSP to the north, Camerons Lane to the south, Hume Freeway to the east and Old Sydney Road to the west.
The Northern Growth Corridor Plan identifies the PSP to be predominately residential with landscape values in the north and west of the precinct and Kalkallo Creek running north-south through the precinct.
The Beveridge North West precinct contains:
- generous plains
- gently sloping valleys
- undulating hills
- distinctive hilltops
- remnant volcanic cones
- Kalkallo Creek
- Burrung Buluk (former Hanna Swamp*)
*Note, these names have not officially been registered. They still need to be confirmed with the naming authority and Geographic Names Victoria, DELWP.
The Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan will develop over 20-30 years. During the development of the precinct, there may be a quarry at the Works Authority 1473 area. The draft amendment proposes to limit any extraction works in any quarry to an extraction timeframe of 20 years. Following cessation of any quarry and rehabilitation to a residential standard, urban development will continue to develop as set out in the PSP.
The precinct will be defined by its high-quality residential neighbourhoods which are located between ridgelines, prominent volcanic cones and rolling hills. A significant network of open spaces formed by waterways, hilltops and linear parks will connect the diverse residential neighbourhoods within the area. There is potential for the hilltop environments and the retained, high quality native vegetation portion of Burrung Buluk (former Hanna Swamp*) to form part of a future regional parkland.
Beveridge North West will be home to resilient communities who will have early access to a range of facilities, including health care, education, recreation, and community infrastructure. These will be located in adjoining local town centres with the precinct, anchored by a viable mixed-use town centre at the junction of the waterways and Camerons Lane. East of the Hume Freeway, the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal (BIFT) is currently in the early stages of planning.
The precinct will take full advantage of planned infrastructure, including an efficient connection to the Hume Freeway via the future construction of the Camerons Lane Interchange and will be supported by a series of local arterial roads that can accommodate high frequency public transport. High amenity streets and trails will encourage people to cycle and walk to key local destinations. The orientation of the local road network will emphasise the visually important landscape features, particularly Spring Hill and the hilltops to the north. This will create a unique sense of place for future residents.
Future residents will enjoy genuine diversity of housing, which will range from conventional residential lots through to well-designed higher density housing near the town centres. The unique topography of the site offers the opportunity to provide bespoke housing on the hillsides that responds to the landscape through design and orientation.
The most valued parts of the landscape will be revived and enhanced through the rehabilitation and replanting of Kalkallo Creek, Burrung Buluk (former Hanna Swamp*) and the hilltops, coupled with the construction of wetlands and water retention facilities on the open plains.
*Note, these names have not officially been registered. They still need to be confirmed with the naming authority and Geographic Names Victoria, DELWP.
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 area has already been identified to transition to land for new homes, jobs, schools, and community uses.
The VPA is working to deliver on the government’s 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. It also helps put downward pressure on housing prices and contributes to making housing more affordable.
Land planned for residential and employment uses will be supported by community facilities, open space, shops, school sites, and essential services such as water, sewerage, and electricity.
The plan implements Planning Panels Victoria’s (PPV’s) recommendations for Mitchell Planning Scheme Amendment C106mith.
Planning Scheme Amendment C106mith was exhibited in September 2019, the Planning Panels Victoria hearing was held in August 2020 and their report published in October 2020.
The VPA has revised the Amendment in response to PPV’s 17 recommendations. Those recommendations have resulted in significant changes to the Amendment. Given the significant nature of the recommended changes, the Minister for Planning asked the VPA to prepare new draft Amendments and engage with the community on the changes we have made to the draft PSP and associated planning documents to reflect these recommendations.
The two recommendations in PPV’s report that resulted in the most significant changes were:
Recommendation 1: Revise Mitchell Planning Scheme Amendment C106 to explicitly include precinct level planning for resource extraction from Works Authority 1473.
Recommendation 17: Include explicit recognition of the need to plan for Hanna Swamp in the revised Precinct Structure Plan (Document 267) in, for example:
- The land description at 1.4
- The Vision at 2.1
- Requirement R1
- Table 10, Water Infrastructure.
Understanding planning controls
The plan has been carefully designed to consider the impact of the quarry. This includes a blast buffer of 250m which restricts the construction of buildings adjacent to the quarry. A buffer of 500m, namely the sensitive use buffer, restricts sensitive land uses (including residential) from being established within this 500m buffer.
There will be mandatory conditions that limit a quarry’s operational life to 20 years. The Planning Scheme Ordinance impose strict restrictions on the quarry lifespan and set out clear rehabilitation requirements.
If a quarry is established in the PSP area, the Specific Controls Overlay (as part of the VPA’s planning documents) sets out strict criteria to mitigate the quarry’s impact on the surrounding community. These criteria will need to be met before any planning permit is granted.
A planning permit will control specific matters related to the operation of the quarry. These are likely to include controls relating to amenity (e.g. dust and noise) and provide guidance on the operation of the quarry (e.g. traffic and blasting). The Ministerial Advisory Committee will consider the planning permit.
Further controls will be placed on the operation and rehabilitation of the quarry by the Earth Resources Regulations Works Authority.
An overall average density target of 20 dwellings per developable hectare is proposed in the PSP. The density is targeted to 25 dwellings per developable hectare within the town centre’s walkable catchment and 17 dwellings per developable hectare across the remaining residential land.
The draft plan proposes several key employment areas that will support a diverse range of business enterprises. The PSP includes four local town centres (three 6,300 square metres, one 3,300 square metres) and two local convenience centres. The precinct is anticipated to generate approximately 3,000 jobs.
The proposed schools and community centres will generate an estimated 530 jobs.
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.
The precinct integrates with the existing road network and provides new arterial roads linking Camerons Lane and the existing Beveridge township to Wallan. The road network will provide a modified grid connector street system that responds to the topography of the precinct.
The arterial road network will be significantly improved by the PSP through construction of two north-south arterial roads, which will ultimately provide access from Beveridge Central to the south, through the PSP area and connect with Wallan South to the north.
The amendment provides for bus-capable roads to service most of the PSP area. The cycling and walking trail network are deliberately aimed at providing access to key local destinations including the four local town centres, open space, schools, and community. The extensive path network linking schools and town centres allow a high level of accessibility by cycling or walking.
An ICP is a system for funding basic and essential local infrastructure required by a new community paid for by the property developer to the state government. The PSP provides the strategic justification for the ICP items.
The ICP may be made of one or two parts, a standard levy and or a supplementary levy. The standard levy is a pre-determined 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.
Draft Amendment C161 introduced the Supplementary Levy ICP into the Mitchell Shire Planning Scheme. The ICP is necessary to deliver all the infrastructure items required within the Beveridge North West PSP area. Specifically, the supplementary levy component is included to cover the costs of construction of supplementary ICP transport items, due to sodic soils being present in the precinct.
A Supplementary Levy ICP has now been prepared and is the subject of this amendment. The supplementary rate is $69,065.13 for transport construction.
When land is developed within the precinct, the Beveridge North West ICP will ensure the appropriate financial contribution is paid in line with the cost of delivering essential infrastructure to serve the area. There is no obligation for landowners in the precinct, or people outside the precinct, to pay these contributions until such time as landowners choose to develop their land.
Sodic soils have a higher than usual concentration of active sodium. This affects the way the soil reacts with water, resulting in increased erosion. Infrastructure must be specifically designed to consider erosion risks associated with sodic and dispersive soils. This has implications for the construction of roads, drainage, and stormwater assets.
In October 2020, Planning Panels Victoria released its report recommending the VPA change the Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) to include planning for a quarry and to consider how to address Burrung Buluk (former Hanna Swamp*).
PPV’s recommendations resulted in significant changes to the precinct structure plan. Given the nature of the changes, the Minister for Planning asked the VPA to prepare new draft Amendments and engage with the community on the changes.
*Note, these names have not officially been registered. They still need to be confirmed with the naming authority and Geographic Names Victoria, DELWP.
The VPA asked you what you think about the new amendment from 16 November 2021 – 31 January 2022 and encouraged you to make a written submission.
Given that an independent panel has deliberated and made recommendations on the PSP, the VPA sought community feedback on how (not if) the draft PSP and associated planning scheme amendment reflect the panel’s recommendations.
In October 2021, the Minister for Planning appointed a Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) to consider three interrelated matters for the future of this community – the PSP, Infrastructure Contributions Plan and permit application for the quarry.
The MAC will not consider submissions on the inclusion of the quarry and Burrung Buluk (former Hanna Swamp*) in the PSP and will instead focus on how the new Amendment reflects that advice.
All submissions received during this round of consultation commencing in November will be referred to the MAC.
*Note, these names have not officially been registered. They still need to be confirmed with the naming authority and Geographic Names Victoria, DELWP.
In October 2019, the quarry proponent lodged a planning permit application with Mitchell Shire Council. After 12 months, the quarry proponent applied to VCAT to review Mitchell Shire Council’s failure to determine the matter in the prescribed timeframe. To ensure the VCAT determination did not pre-empt and preclude the strategic planning considerations at the precinct level, the permit was called in by the Minister for Planning and will be subject to the Ministerial Advisory Committee along with the PSP and ICP.
A special standalone Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) has been established to ensure the three current and interrelated matters critical to the future of this precinct – the PSP, ICP and the permit application for the quarry – can be considered in a coordinated and integrated way. This will mean that, following the MAC, a final decision can be made on all of these relevant components so the community will have certainty about the future of this precinct.
The Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) details, including the Terms of Reference and details of appointed members will be published on the Planning Panels Victoria – Panels and Committees webpage in due course.
For more information, refer to:
Extractive resources
Hard rock and sand are important extractive resources to all Victorians. Construction materials produced from these materials are supporting Victoria’s Big Build and COVID-19 economic recovery. Extractive resources are used to build roads, houses, hospitals, schools, and other important infrastructure to help Victoria grow.
The extractive resources sector is essential to building a sustainable Victoria. Hard rock and sand construction materials are required to build renewable energy solutions such as solar and wind farms.
Melbourne’s Northern Growth Corridor is one of the state’s fastest growing areas.
Development and infrastructure to support growth requires a significant supply of construction materials. Extractive resources located close to demand contributes to low-cost infrastructure for Victoria by reducing the cost of transporting materials long distances. Increasing transport distance by 25km almost doubles the cost of construction materials for consumers.
Reducing transport distance also means fewer trucks on Victoria’s roads, which contributes to lowering carbon emissions and supports Victoria’s sustainability targets.
Under the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 (MRSDA), an approved rehabilitation plan is required prior to granting a Work Authority. Site rehabilitation is regulated under the MRSDA and must achieve a ‘safe and stable’ final landform.
The Newer Volcanic Group Basalt is an important resource for construction material production. Over the last five-year period (FY2015-2020), 51% of all production of hard rock in Victoria was basalt.
Having your say
Submissions provided to the Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) are part of an open public process where all parties affected by the planning scheme can provide input into the draft amendment.
If you choose to make a submission, you consent to your submission being made public, and being identified as the author of the submission.
Your submission will be made available for public inspection on the VPA website until two months after gazettal of the resulting planning scheme amendment and will also be made available to relevant Ministers and local councils, and other involved government agencies.
If you are a private individual, your personal information will be removed from your submission before it is released to parties outside government or local councils. Contact details do not include the address of land which is the subject of your submission.
By making a submission, you also give permission for copyright material to be copied and made public.
For more information, please contact:
Tony Marks
Director – Outer Melbourne
Email: Tony.Marks@vpa.vic.gov.au
Phone: (03) 8644 8807
Laurie Mitchell
Strategic Planning Manager
Email: Laurie.Mitchell@vpa.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 9651 9600
This project will be considered by the Beveridge North West Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC). The BNW MAC will make recommendations on the draft amendments and the quarry planning permit application to the VPA and Minister for Planning. Dates for the BNW MAC are reserved for:
- Directions Hearing: 17 March 2022
- Hearing: Starting week commencing 9 May 2022
Once a submission is made to the VPA, you will receive a notice to acknowledge it has been received.
After the consultation period ends on 31 January 2022, VPA staff will review all submissions received. As part of this process, VPA staff may contact submitters as required to further discuss their submission and any changes sought.
All submissions received during this round of consultation commencing in November will be referred to the MAC.
This is your opportunity to have your say on the strategic planning proposed for the Beveridge North West PSP.
Some future planning applications may be exempt from third party appeal and review under proposed planning controls for Beveridge North West. This means many planning applications for future developments in Beveridge North West will not be made available for public consultation before they are assessed for approval, so long as they abide by the planning controls.
There will be future opportunities to have your say on some more detailed components of Beveridge North West’s development and design, such as the designs of specific street scapes or open spaces.