Exhibition of Moorabool Planning Scheme Amendment C099moor – Halletts Way and Adelong Way Intersection, Bacchus Marsh

The amendment site is in Bacchus Marsh and located at the intersection of Halletts Way and Adelong Way. The Werribee River runs along the site’s south-east border.

A range of planning controls are proposed by Amendment C099 that will ensure development is coordinated and respects the character and environmental values of the surrounding area. Proposed changes include: 

• Rezoning former agricultural land around the intersection of Halletts Way and Adelong Way, Bacchus Marsh (Lot A, B C D and E in Figure 2 below) from Farming Zone to Neighbourhood Residential Zone – Schedule 9 (NRZ9).

• Applying a Development Plan Overlay Schedule 8 (DPO8) to coordinate and integrate development with the river corridor and existing road interfaces. 

• Removing the Design and Development Overlay Schedule 2 (DDO2) from the NRZ land, which will be superseded by guidance in the DPO. 

• Rezoning publicly owned land along the Werribee River (a narrow strip of land closest to the Werribee River in Figure 2 below) from Farming Zone to Public Park and Recreation Zone (PPRZ).

The proposed residential zone and overlay controls are supported by specialist assessments which investigate risks including bushfire, rockfall, drainage and flooding and contamination.

Any areas affected by flood risk are encumbered and covered by existing Land Subject to Inundation Overlay controls, and for this reason these areas are unable to be developed. This area is to be revegetated and added to the existing river reserve.

Planning Permit Application PA2020242 is being considered at the same time as Amendment C099moor and proposes to subdivide the land into five lots (under Section 96A of the Planning and Environment Act 1987). The proposed lot boundaries are based around the existing roads and areas of floodrisk. Lots C and E are affected by flood risk and covered by existing Land Subject to Inundation Overlay controls. Following subdivision, these two lots will be consolidated into existing public open space along the Werribee River. Lots A, B and D are outside of floodprone areas and are suitable for urban development subject to the proposed rezoning. These lots may be used for urban development including housing, medical or childcare facilities. The concept plan shows the indicative layout of building envelopes and areas for car parking.

A full explanation of Amendment C099moor 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 Neighbourhood Residential Zone is the most restrictive residential zone either due to development constraints or the need to protect an identified neighbourhood character of an area.

A schedule to the Neighbourhood Residential Zone is proposed in Amendment C099moor to provide specific guidance by setting out the following purposes: 

• To recognise areas of predominantly single and double storey residential development. 

• To manage and ensure that development respects the identified neighbourhood character, heritage, environmental or landscape characteristics. 

• To allow educational, recreational, religious, community and a limited range of other non-residential uses to serve local community needs in appropriate locations. 

The Schedule 9 to the Neighbourhood Residential Zone is proposed in Amendment C099moor to provide specific local guidance based on the neighbouring Underbank estate and Werribee River:

• To integrate with the emerging and desired streetscape character and development pattern of the Underbank neighbourhood.  
• To provide activated frontages to Halletts Way, Adelong Way and areas of open space.  
• To protect and enhance the Werribee River corridor.   

A Development Plan Overlay is proposed on Lots A, B, C, D and E to ensure development is well coordinated and managed across large sites or sites that have several landowners. It requires a landowner to first prepare a Development Plan (or Masterplan) including detailed guidance around movement, open space and development. Once a Development Plan has been prepared, it becomes the masterplan for the area, and development needs to be consistent with the plan. Future permits are not required to be publicly advertised if they are in accordance with the Development Plan and Development Plan Overlay. 

The proposed Development Plan Overlay in Amendment C099moor includes Schedule 8 which provides specific guidance for subdivision and development of the Underbank site. The guidance requires future development: 

• To integrate development with the emerging and desired streetscape character and development pattern of the abutting neighbourhood.
• To provide activated frontages to Halletts Way, Adelong Way and public reserves, with adequate setbacks for landscaping, fencing, open space and passive surveillance.
• To protect and enhance the Werribee River corridor.

A development plan must satisfy all requirements specified in the schedule and must include a masterplan generally in accordance with the plan in the schedule

A Public Park and Recreation Zone (PPRZ) is used for public owned land and recognises the role the land plays for public open space and public recreation areas. A schedule allows specified uses or managers of public land to be exempted from specified requirements. The PPRZ is proposed for the pieces of land owned by Council and the State government which run along the edge of the Werribee River, consistent with the existing zoning to the east.  

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. 

More information about the amendment process is available here   

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.