Current update
A panel hearing for Amendment C263gben was held Monday February 12 2024 - Thursday February 15 2024.
The City has received the Panel’s report and it's now available.
Panel documents
Background
Amendment C263gben (the amendment) to the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme (the planning scheme) has been prepared to implement the recommendations of the Marong Township Structure Plan, Marong Heritage Citations and Marong Flood Study.
The amendment affects land within and adjacent to the township of Marong. The amendment also affects all land zoned Low Density Residential Zone in the municipality.
The amendment proposes to implement the recommendations of the Marong Township Structure Plan 2020, Marong Heritage Citations 2018 and Marong Flood Study 2018 by:
- Rezoning land within the Marong township from Township Zone to residential, commercial and mixed-use zones, including introducing the Neighbourhood Residential Zone.
- Rezoning recreational, sporting and vegetation conservation areas in public ownership to Public Park and Recreation Zone or Public Conservation Resource Zone.
- Rezoning the Fletchers Creek Road area to apply a new schedule to Low Density Residential Zone.
- Removing existing Development Plan Overlay Schedule 6, Townships, from Marong.
- Applying new overlays to guide development, character, preservation of historical places and land subject to flooding, including introduction of the Floodway Overlay.
- Inserting a new local area plan for Marong to insert strategies and plans to achieve the planning outcomes sought by the Marong Township Structure Plan and to identify four new future residential growth precincts in the east, west and south of the township.
- Updating existing local planning policy relating to activity centre classification and commercial floor areas, floodplain management and the walking and cycling network.
- Updating to operational provisions to introduce incorporated and background documents, new map pages and revise further strategic work clauses to reflect the work undertaken as part of this amendment.
The amendment also makes administrative updates municipal wide to the Low-Density Residential Zone Schedules.
The amendment was on public exhibition from Thursday May 25 to Friday July 7, 2023.
A report was presented to the Council meeting October 23, 2023 to request a Planning Panel.
Reports
Frequently asked questions
If you are a landowner or resident in Marong, there may be changes proposed to the zoning of your property or overlays introduced that may or may not impact on the appropriate uses of your land or the way your land can be developed.
You are encouraged to view the amendment documents and discuss with the relevant planning officers during the exhibition period to better understand any potential changes affecting your property.
Planning controls provide regulation if a use or development, subdivision or building can be permitted and in what circumstances. Generally, a zone controls the types of use (residential, commercial, industrial) and an Overlay ensures a particular issue is considered when development occurs (eg. flooding, heritage).
The Marong Township Structure Plan identifies a “western freight investigation corridor” that connects the Calder Alternative and the Calder Highway to the south and west of the existing township, effectively creating a bypass road. This road would remove some of the heavy vehicles and through traffic from the town centre and relieve some of the pressure on the existing intersection in the centre of town. This project is not currently funded at this stage.
This project would be led by the Department of Transport and Planning and be subject to detailed investigations on the final alignment, other engineering considerations and community engagement.
The existing Calder Alternative/Calder Highway intersection is also proposed to be signalised. However, this is also currently not funded.
The Marong Township Structure Plan identifies a site for a new primary school to the east of the existing town. The Plan proposes that this site is combined with an open space recreation area to meet the growing needs of the township. While this meets the attributes for a potential school site, there is no commitment or timeframe from the State Government to this site.
The Marong Township Structure Plan identifies the town centre commercial area which is bounded by the former railway line and Cathcart, Torrens, and Leslie Streets. Retail, office, business and commercial uses are encouraged within the town centre which is in proposed as Commercial 1 Zone. Other planning controls proposed for this area are aimed at retaining existing vegetation, improving walkability, and ensuring new buildings are well
designed.
Four growth precincts are identified in this Amendment for future development to house the additional long term expected population. Any rezonings and other planning controls to enable development is to be initiated by a developer or landowner. Any future rezoning amendments would be subject to a separate public notification and consultation process as they occur.
The timing of these amendments will depend on when the requests are received, however there is already strong interest in developing these areas so it is anticipated that the rezoning of these areas may commence in the next year or two.
The development of the railway station and improvements to the rail line is a longer-term aspiration for Marong. It is subject to future investment by the State Government and there is currently no commitment from the State to the project. The City continues to advocate for improved public transport for the current and future community.
Contributions from developers, together with the City’s capital works program and other government funding, will fund new infrastructure. The funding of new infrastructure (intersection upgrades, drainage basins, new roads, and the like) will be guided by a Development Contributions Framework.
The Framework is being developed now and will also consider the Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct. For any new development, contributions are made by developers. Contributions are required from new developments and there will not be any costs attributed directly to existing residents if
there is no development proposed.
The planning for the Bendigo Regional Employment Precinct (BREP) is being undertaken as part of a separate process in conjunction with the Victorian Planning Authority.
The flood mapping being introduced as part of this amendment is computer generated by the North Central Catchment Management Authority. It is not a map of any specific previous flood, although information from previous floods has been included in the parameters to inform the modelling, but instead represents a projected 1 in 100 year flood scenario.
The flood mapping for Bendigo and Heathcote has been updated in recent years using this same computer modelling.