Merrifield North
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is currently preparing a threshold assessment to determine whether a Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) will be prepared for Merrifield North. The investigation area covers 991 hectares in the City of Hume and Shire of Mitchell.
The assessment is being undertaken in consultation with Hume City Council, Mitchell Shire Council, various government agencies, service authorities, and landowners.
The purpose of the threshold assessment is to resolve many complex matters impacting the future development of Merrifield North and the decision whether or not to proceed with preparing a PSP. These matters include:
- Determining an alignment or corridor for the extension of Aitken Boulevard and the western arterial through the precinct.
- Developing guiding principles to inform the PSP planning of the Merrifield Park, waterways, and pre-European wetland located within the precinct.
- Preparing a high level concept plan for the Merrifield Park that is a part of the PSP project.
Over the coming months the VPA will work to conclude the assessment and determine whether a PSP can formally commence in 2025.
Interactive map of Merrifield North Precinct
Project Status Update – February 2024
On 7 December, we released our Victorian Planning Authority Business Plan 2023-24. This plan outlines the projects and activities the VPA will undertake this financial year to deliver on the Victorian Government’s commitments and the priorities in Victoria’s Housing Statement – the decade ahead 2024-2034, which will deliver opportunities to increase housing supply and improve affordability outcomes for Victorians.
Merrifield North is one of the 21 projects that the VPA will be progressing in 2023/24 as a due diligence project.
The due diligence process tests and proves if a project is viable for consideration for the VPA work program. We are seeking to ensure that any issues that require resolution are able to be dealt with in a timely way in a standard PSP process. The purpose is to identify and, if possible, resolve any issues that could derail, delay or frustrate the outcome of the plan preparation process, should the government choose to progress to this stage.
As Merrifield North is in the due diligence phase, we are working to identify specific threshold issues that need to be resolved to determine whether it can progress to a PSP planning process. Once that work is done, we will prepare a report for consideration by the VPA Board and in turn to the Minister for Planning to determine next steps.
The key issues we are seeking to clarify and/or resolve if possible in relation to the Merrifield North due diligence are:
- Establishing the alignment for the extension of Aitken Boulevard and the Western Arterial through the precinct;
- Understanding the ecological and cultural values of the pre-European wetland, Inverlochy Swamp;
- Collaborating with stakeholder agencies to coordinate essential infrastructure services throughout the precinct.
In the coming months we will be focused on finalising technical reports and liaising with other government departments and agencies where there are dependencies and work being progressed for Merrifield North.
Once we have completed all technical studies and we understand the implications for the project, the next stage of the process will be a report to our Board for it to consider providing advice to the Minister.
At this stage we are aiming to submit a report to our Board by August 2024.
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 status changes for our planning for Merrifield North.