The Victorian Government recently released the draft Planning for Melbourne’s Industrial and Commercial Land, with public comments sought by 31 December 2019.
Building on Plan Melbourne 2017-2050, the draft Land Use Plan aims to establish a planning framework to enable state and local governments to better plan for future employment and industry needs. This draft Land Use Plan covers all industrial and commercial land, including shopping centres, bulky goods precincts and heavy and light industrial precincts.
The draft Land Use Plan builds upon the land consumption rates that are researched through Urban Development Program and updates the employment growth and land demand projections. It profiles major existing and future employment precinct in each Melbourne corridor, including locational characteristics and existing and intended employment types and sizes.
The draft Land Use Plan has recommended the following key policy directions:
Planning for the Inner Metro region should:
- Retain regionally-significant industrial areas and limit encroachment of sensitive uses that may compromise efficient operation in these locations.
- Retain land in the Fishermans Bend NEIC employment precinct, around the Port of Melbourne at Dynon and in Abbotsford predominantly for industrial uses.
- Retain areas in and around Collingwood and Cremorne predominately for office, manufacturing and industrial uses and areas in South Melbourne Central Business Precinct predominantly for creative industry uses.
- Investigate opportunities in areas such as Arden Central and Domain to support other employment uses that are well connected to adjacent employment uses, including the Parkville NEIC and the Central City.
- Identify precincts and opportunities where commercial development should be prioritised and can be accommodated to meet future needs.
Planning for the Western region should:
- Revise the Western SSIP boundary around the Hopkins Road Business Precinct to align with recent PSP approvals and to accurately reflect state-significant industrial land.
- Retain regionally-significant industrial precincts as identified on the future directions map for the region and protect them from encroachment of sensitive uses that may compromise development and efficient operation of businesses in these locations.
- Investigate industrial areas that could support other employment uses that support or are well connected to adjacent employment uses or transport connections.
- Consider the future demand for and need for, commercial and employment land across the growth areas and ensure that PSPs make adequate and sufficient provision to accommodate longer-term commercial and employment needs.
Planning for the Northern region should:
- Adjust the boundary of the Northern SSIP in the region to include the land set aside for the BIFT and the Craigieburn South Employment Precinct and to remove land in Broadmeadows, west of Merlynston Creek identified for future mixed-use development.
- Investigate opportunities to consolidate land holdings in the Northern SSIP and limit and discourage subdivision that would lead to the creation of small lots.
- Retain regionally-significant industrial precincts as identified on the future directions map for the region and protect them from encroachment of sensitive uses that would compromise development and efficient operation of businesses in these locations.
- Investigate and identify regionally-significant industrial precincts that could support other employment uses, including creative industries, that support or are well connected to adjacent employment uses or transport infrastructure.
- Consider the future demand for and need for commercial and employment land across the growth areas and ensure that PSPs make adequate and sufficient provision to accommodate longer-term commercial and employment needs
Planning for the Eastern region should:
- Retain regionally-significant industrial precincts as identified on the future directions map for the region and protect them from encroachment from sensitive uses that may compromise development and efficient operation of businesses in these locations.
- Retain industrial zoned land at ClaytonMulgrave, Scoresby-Rowville and BayswaterKilsyth predominately for industrial uses and limit encroachment by other uses that would fragment the industrial land.
- Investigate and identify areas within regionallysignificant industrial precincts that could support other employment uses, including offices, creative industries and start-ups, that support or are well connected to adjacent employment uses or transport connections.
- Identify areas that can support future demand for commercial floorspace and new investment in the region and plan for these areas to support future growth.
Planning for the Southern region should:
- Retain regionally-significant industrial precincts as identified on the future directions map for the region and protect them from encroachment from sensitive uses that may compromise development and efficient operation of businesses in these locations.
- Retain industrial land at Clayton South, Moorabbin, Moorabbin Airport, Braeside, Carrum Downs, Seaford, Cranbourne West and Casey Fields South predominately for industrial uses, limit encroachment by other uses that would fragment this land and protect them from encroachment of sensitive uses that may compromise development and efficient operation of businesses in these locations.
- Investigate and identify areas within regionally-significant industrial precincts that could support other employment uses, including offices, creative industries and start-ups, that support or are well connected to adjacent employment uses or transport connections.
- In consultation with the Port of Hastings Development Authority, investigate the potential for any Special Use Zone 1 land outside of the Hastings SSIP that could allow for a broader range of industrial uses.
- Ensure appropriate land and infrastructure is made available to support industry needs and economic growth.
- Support the development of growth area business precincts for predominately commercial development providing for higher order, knowledge-based jobs and businesses.
- Identify existing activity centres where commercial development should be prioritised to accommodate future needs.
- Ensure that planning for future activity centres in growth areas makes adequate provision to accommodate longer-term commercial and employment needs.
Planning for the Inner South East region should:
- Identify and retain Bayside Business Area as a regionally-significant industrial precinct and protect it from encroachment of sensitive uses or other uses that would fragment the land and could compromise development and efficient operation of businesses in these locations.
- Review local industrial areas and identify areas important for retention to support local communities.
- Identify activity centres where commercial development should be prioritised to accommodate future needs.
- Identify locations where there is opportunity to support increased commercial development, and particularly office-based development with an employment focus.