Exhibition of Moorabool Planning Scheme Amendment C115moor – Moorabool Retail Strategy

A full explanation of Amendment C115moor can be found in the Explanatory Report and supporting documents on this webpage, or at the Department of Transport and Planning www.planning.vic.gov.au/public-inspection.

The amendment applies to the whole Moorabool Shire, with a focus on:  

• Bacchus Marsh & surrounds  

• Ballan 

Retail is food, groceries and liquor, non-food goods like clothing, household and recreational. Food catering such as cafes and restaurants, services such as hairdressers, beauty parlours. It excludes wholesale businesses. 

The planning scheme is a statutory document that sets out the objectives, policies and provisions relating to the use, development and protection of land. 

A planning scheme amendment may involve a change to a planning scheme map, a change to the written part of the scheme, or both. Amendments can have significant planning implications and affect the wider community because they change the way land can be used or developed. They can also change the basis for making planning decisions in the future. 

All individual submissions will be acknowledged in writing.  Following the exhibition process, section 23 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 requires Council to consider all submissions made to the amendment and either: 

• change the amendment in the manner requested in any submissions; or 

• refer the submissions to an independent Planning Panel appointed under Part 8 of the Act; or 

• abandon the amendment or part of the amendment. 

Once exhibition finishes, all submissions will be reviewed and where possible we will seek to resolve issues raised in submissions.  

Following exhibition of the amendment, Council has three options under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to either:  

1. adopt the amendment (where all submissions are resolved)  

2. abandon the amendment  

3. refer the amendment and submissions to an independent planning panel.  

Officers will notify all submitters of any Council meetings relating to the amendment..  

More information about the amendment process is available here. 

A panel is appointed by the Minister for Planning to hear submissions about amendments to planning schemes, and to make recommendations or provide advice about if the amendment should proceed. 

It will have one or more members, depending on the issues involved. The basic role of a panel is to: 

• give submitters an opportunity to be heard in an informal, non-judicial manner. 

• give expert advice to the planning authority (in this case Moorabool Shire Council) about an amendment and about submissions referred to it.  

Council must consider all submissions and the panel report, and then decide whether to adopt or abandon the amendment. If Council adopts the amendment, it will need to submit the amendment to the Minister for Planning for consideration and decision.

Population Growth: Bacchus Marsh and Ballan are growing fast. Moorabool’s population is expected to rise from 40,000, to over 70,000 by 2046.  

Better Services: More people means more shops, jobs, and community spaces are needed.  

Smart business investment: This update helps show where new retail centres should go and how existing ones can grow. 

The amendment updates planning policies to:  

• Create more retail opportunities in key retail areas like Darley Plaza and Main Street and Grant Street, Bacchus Marsh by removing limits on existing floor space limits for shops.  

• Enable a bulky goods precinct to develop near Bacchus Marsh (for large-format retail outlets like furniture and hardware).  

• Support new neighbourhood centres and local centres in  

  • Underbank   
  • Merrimu & Parwan  
  • Ballan South  
  • Hopetoun Park North  

• Encourage retail access in small towns. 

The amendment continues to:  

• Recognise Bacchus Marsh as the main business and retail centre within the Shire (a Major Activity Centre).  

• Recognise Ballan town centre as the main centre for Ballan and surrounding areas.  

• Support existing retail centres and retail activities