Braybrook Regeneration Project
Braybrook is growing and evolving as new jobs are brought to the inner west, and new residents choose to live in Braybrook as it is affordable and close to Sunshine and the city. Change is already noticeable in the streets of Braybrook, as older homes are being replaced and new infrastructure is delivered.
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA), in partnership with Maribyrnong City Council and Homes Victoria are working to make sure the right support is put in place for the current and future Braybrook community.
The Braybrook Regeneration Project is focused on planning for:
- New and improved open space and community facilities
- More diverse and affordable housing
- Vibrant activity areas for shopping, work and play
- Safer and easier travel
- Greener streets, parks and homes
Our planning includes the preparation of a Braybrook Urban Design Framework (or Braybrook UDF) and planning scheme amendment. The UDF is a planning document that will set out the types of housing, services and infrastructure that a growing Braybrook will need.
Towards a Braybrook Urban Design Framework
We’ve worked with our project partners to prepare Towards a Braybrook Urban Design Framework (PDF) to explore ideas about the future opportunities for Braybrook. These include housing, environment, urban design, transport, and community infrastructure opportunities. Once reviewed by the community, these ideas will inform the preparation of a draft Urban Design Framework.
You can read the full version of Towards a Braybrook Urban Design Framework below.
Bicycle path in Braybrook
Background information
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) a Victorian Government statutory authority that plans for urban growth across Victoria. We report to the Minister for Planning.
The VPA’s main task is to make sure Melbourne and Victoria’s regions remain great places to live and work. This requires vision and long-term planning to ensure our growing population has equitable access to employment, public transport, attractive public spaces and affordable housing.
We do this by working closely with councils, government agencies and the planning and development community on integrated land use and infrastructure coordination for new communities and strategically important precincts.
An Urban Design Framework (UDF) is a strategic planning tool that sets out a design vision for the future development of a place.
It includes aims for the future area which may be brought into force by a planning scheme amendment.
A planning scheme amendment is an essential process for changing the planning rules that apply to an area.
The Planning and Environment Act 1987 sets out all the steps that must be followed to amend a planning scheme. The planning rules that apply to Braybrook are included in the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme.
Any proposed changes to the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme such as rezoning or changes to maximum building heights will be subject to public consultation and independent review. The final decision on changes to the planning scheme is made by the responsible Minister.
Development contributions are payments or in-kind works, facilities or services provided by developers towards the supply of infrastructure required to meet the future needs of the community. A Development Contributions Plan will be prepared as part of the planning process for Braybrook.
Project information
The Towards a Braybrook Urban Design Framework (PDF) is a vision document that has been prepared for engagement with the community. It shares early ideas and planning proposals for housing, open space, transport and infrastructure to manage the future growth of Braybrook.
The Braybrook Regeneration Precinct comprises 230 hectares and is bound by the southern side of Ballarat Road, the eastern side of Duke Street, the northern side of the railway line and the western edge of Central West Activity Centre and Ashley Street.
The commercial business area in the south-east corner of Braybrook is excluded from the project boundary. This area is referred to as the Central West Activity Centre and Maribyrnong City Council is currently leading a separate planning process for it.
Aerial view of the Braybrook Regeneration Precinct
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is the planning authority for the Braybrook Regeneration Project, with help from Maribyrnong City Council and Homes Victoria.
The VPA will prepare the Urban Design Framework (UDF), Development Contributions Plan (DCP) and Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) to plan for a growing Braybrook on behalf of the State Government. The VPA will be engaging with the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) to ensure relevant State government ordinance drafting requirements are met.
Maribyrnong City Council has provided input into the VPA’s planning process and will continue to advocate for the best outcomes for the Braybrook community as planning progresses by representing local perspectives and interests.
Homes Victoria is the new government agency created to manage, renew and expand social and affordable housing in Victoria.
Homes Victoria has been created to support Victorians who are finding it difficult to secure stable, affordable housing. Homes Victoria is responsible for managing housing assets that currently house more than 116,000 Victorians.
As new jobs are brought to the inner west, new residents are drawn to the neighbourhood’s affordability and proximity to the city. The Victorian Government wants to make sure new growth supports the needs of the Braybrook community into the future.
By planning to sustainably accommodate future growth, the Urban Design Framework can support the creation of an even stronger community and provide people with access to shops, parks and local services within a 20-minute walk of their homes. This idea is called the “20-minute neighbourhood principle” and is a key aim for the project.
The planning process aims to provide more affordable and diverse housing, new and improved public spaces and parks and better-connected streets, while still preserving Braybrook’s local character.
Before any of the changes are finalised, another round of community consultation will occur on the draft Braybrook Urban Design Framework, draft Development Contributions Plan and draft Planning Scheme Amendment in the first half of 2024. Your feedback on Towards a Braybrook UDF will inform these drafts.
If approved, it will take more than 30 years for the full extent of the proposed changes contemplated in the vision document titled Towards a Braybrook UDF to be realised.
Some of the first changes may include:
- New and improved public open spaces such as the public plaza proposed between the local centre and Braybrook Community Hub on Churchill Avenue
- New development of low-rise apartments (up to 4 storeys) and townhouses (up to 3 storeys)
It is expected that up to 4,000 – 6,000+ additional homes may be built in Braybrook by 2051.
Population growth of this size would trigger the need for further upgrades to open space and community facilities.
If approved, the final Urban Design Framework and associated planning documentation will be implemented through a planning scheme amendment (PSA) that will change the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme and bring new planning rules into effect.
Changes to planning zones and uses will not be made until the final draft Urban Design Framework has been publicly consulted on in the middle of 2024. During this process, anyone will be invited to make a written submission on the planning documents.
Submissions will be considered by an independent advisory body before a decision is made to change planning zones, building heights and setbacks, building design requirements or development contribution requirements.
Changes to land uses and the broader Braybrook neighbourhood will occur gradually over the next 30 years. The VPA is currently engaging with the Braybrook community to understand your needs for a growing Braybrook. Following this, technical reports and community feedback will be considered in the preparation of a draft Urban Design Framework (UDF), Development Contributions Plan (DCP) and draft Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA). The VPA will consult with the community on these planning documents before finalising them.
If the UDF and planning scheme amendment are approved, the new rules in the UDF will apply to any new proposals that require a planning permit to proceed.
Housing
Homes Victoria is the new government agency created to manage, renew and expand social and affordable housing in Victoria. Homes Victoria will continue to redevelop older public housing in Braybrook, in keeping with the vision outlined in Towards a Braybrook UDF.
Homes Victoria plans to offer at least the same amount of social housing that exists currently in Braybrook to support Victorians who are finding it difficult to secure stable, affordable housing.
The regeneration of Braybrook will include the provision of more diverse and affordable housing such as townhouses and apartments for different income groups and household types. There will be an increase in both the provision of social housing and privately owned housing.
Private housing may be lived in by the person who owns it or rented to someone else.
Infrastructure
Braybrook is currently well served by several schools with capacity for additional students. As such, another school is not currently being planned for through this process. The Department of Education will continue to monitor the demand for schools in the area and ensure that current and future local students can be accommodated.
Braybrook has good existing infrastructure, including the Community Hub, RecWest, Skinner Reserve and bus and cycle routes. More infrastructure will be progressively delivered to ensure the needs of the growing community are met.
The safety, amenity and capacity of Ballarat Road is expected to be improved, ensuring it will support high frequency public transport services and accommodate mixed-use development.
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is working with the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) to confirm the future of Ballarat Road and what upgrades may be considered to support growth.
Project Status Updates – May 2024
We have been working with Maribyrnong City Council and Homes Victoria to progress the planning for the Braybrook Regeneration Project.
Since our last update in March 2024, we have:
- Finalised our technical work to support the amendment including:
- Odour, noise and site contamination assessments
- Integrated water management assessment
- Built form testing assessment
- Updated population growth projections.
- Continued to work through outstanding issues related to built form, community infrastructure (open space) and development contributions with stakeholder agencies.
- Progressed the preparation of the draft planning scheme amendment documentation.
In the coming months we will be focused on resolving outstanding issues in preparation for public consultation in mid-2024.