Structure Plans for Industrial Growth Corridors

Greater Shepparton City Council (Council) has commenced design and investigation work for Industrial Investigation Areas 7 (Shepparton North), 9 (Mooroopna North) and 11 (Lemnos).

Background

The Industrial Land Review, City of Greater Shepparton, 2011 (Industrial Land Review) was adopted by Council in 2011 and implemented through Amendment C162 to the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme (Planning Scheme) in 2016. Amongst other things, the Industrial Land Review identified options to increase industrial land supply by identifying several Industrial Investigation Areas throughout Greater Shepparton, including Investigation Areas 7 (Shepparton North), 9 (Mooroopna North) and 11 (Lemnos) included at Clauses 11.02-1 Managing Growth and 17.03 Industry of the Planning Scheme.

Industrial Investigation Areas identify land that has potential to be rezoned for industrial purposes owing to its proximity to existing or proposed industrial land or transport and infrastructure assets. However, these areas have a number of planning-related considerations (e.g. access, drainage, flooding, proximity to reticulated services, etc.), which must be resolved through a thorough investigation before any land can be rezoned for industrial purposes.

In September 2019, Council noted the City of Greater Shepparton Industrial Supply and Demand Assessment September 2019 (the Industrial Land Supply and Demand Assessment). The Industrial Land Supply and Demand Assessment found that the existing supply of zoned broadhectare industrial land is insufficient to meet the rate of consumption of industrial land predicted for Greater Shepparton in the medium and long term. This was confirmed in the City of Greater Shepparton Industrial Land Supply and Demand Assessment, September 2021.

The Land Supply Review: Shepparton and Mooroopna 2050: Regional City Growth Plan, November 2020 identified a shortage of broadhectare zoned industrial land in Shepparton and Mooroopna, and concluded that additional industrial land is required in the short-term to support the sustainable growth of Greater Shepparton.

Structure Plan

In response to a significant demand for zoned industrial land, Council has commenced preparing structure plans for three future industrial growth corridors in Mooroopna North, Shepparton North and Lemnos.

The structure plans will guide the future development of the three industrial growth corridors, which were identified in the recently adopted Shepparton and Mooroopna 2050: Regional City Growth Plan. The structure plans are required to resolve a number of planning and infrastructure constraints (e.g. access, drainage, flooding, servicing, etc.) through a thorough investigation before any land can be rezoned for industrial purposes.

Council has engaged Niche Planning Studio Pty Ltd to prepare the structure plans. Axiom Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd have been subcontracted by Niche Planning Studio to investigate and resolve access and servicing issues (provision of water, sewer and gas, etc.).

Council is undertook pre-draft consultation with landowners within the structure plan areas on the future aspirations for their land, the timing for any future industrial development of the land and any constraints affecting the land that need to be investigated. Council will also discuss the structure plans with referral agencies, key stakeholders and heavy vehicle operators.

Next Steps

Council is currently progressing several background assessments to inform the structure plans including:

• a Model of Flood Behaviour – to assess the impact of flooding within the investigation areas. These models allow for the identification of developable land and infrastructure required to facilitate develop to ensure there are no detrimental flooding impacts on surrounding land; 
• an Ecological Assessment – to identify the extent and type of native vegetation present within the investigation areas. The structure plans will then seek to minimise impacts on native vegetation. This report is finalised;
• a Traffic Impact Assessment Report (TIAR) – Council engaged TraffixGroup Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The TIAR will identify the transport infrastructure required to support any industrial development within the structure plans, investigate the scale and nature of this infrastructure or any required upgrades, and, critically, identify the cost of this infrastructure; and
• a Structure Plan – Council engaged Niche Planning Studios Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The three structure plans will unite the findings and recommendations of all background reports, and provide information on for the extent of future industrial development, identify all appropriate regional traffic and stormwater drainage infrastructure required to support any future industrial development.

Council officers and the consultant have engaged with land owners, industrial and transport service providers, referral authorities and the general community at various stages throughout the preparation of these structure plans. This work is expected to be completed in draft form in late 2022 and subject to additional consultation before being finalised in early 2023. A planning scheme amendment can be prepared to implement the findings of the three structure plans.

Indicative timeline for development

• 2011 The Industrial Land Review, City of Greater Shepparton 2011.
• 2016 Amendment C162 approved and gazetted by the Minister for Planning.
• 2021 – Late-2022Council undertaking preliminary design work.
• 22 March – 18 April 2022 Pre-draft consultation with landowners, referral authorities and agencies, and key stakeholders.
• Late-2022 – Early-2023  Niche Planning Studio Pty Ltd will prepare a draft structure plan for each of the three industrial growth corridors.
• Early-2023 Wider community consultation on the draft Structure Plans
• Mid-2023Final Structure Plans prepared.
• Late-2023 Planning scheme amendment process to incorporate the structure plans into the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme.