Tatura Growth Areas Structure Plan
Greater Shepparton City Council (Council) is commencing design and investigation work for a future strategic residential growth corridor to the north, northeast and east of Tatura.
The Greater Shepparton Housing Strategy 2011 (GSHS) was prepared to guide the long term identification and provision of residential land within the City of Greater Shepparton. The GSHS was implemented into the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme (Planning Scheme) in 2012 via Amendment C93. Amendment C93 included framework plans in the Planning Scheme that identified land that may accommodate future development following detailed investigations. Such investigations seek to better understand the ability of the land to be developed for residential purposes and at what density.
The Greater Shepparton Townships Framework Plan Review 2019 (Framework Plan) was prepared to evaluate and update the framework plans for nine of the ten townships that the GSHS provided framework plans for. Amendment C212 implemented the Framework Plans into the Planning Scheme, and was approved and gazetted by the Minister for Planning in June 2020.
The Shepparton Residential Land Supply & Demand Assessment September 2019 has identified a shortage of residential zoned land in Tatura, and concluded that additional residential land supply must be realised in the short-term.
Council allocated funding in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 financial years to progress planning and investigation works for the Tatura Growth Areas Structure Plan. This work must be completed before any additional land can be rezoned for residential purposes. The structure plan will guide the future development of all land yet-to-be-rezoned for residential purposes and it will identify all infrastructure required to support the future development of the land.
Draft Consultation
Council prepared three initial draft background reports; the Traffic Impact Assessment, an Integrated Water Management Plan and an Ecological Assessment. These reports will be used to determine the level of traffic and stormwater drainage infrastructure that will be required to support any future residential development of the land.
The draft Tatura Structure Plan layout reflects the recommendations of the three background reports and provides information on appropriate densities for future residential development, and all appropriate regional traffic, drainage and open space infrastructure required to support residential development.
The draft Tatura Structure Plan was considered by Council at the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 20 April 2021, and was the subject of public consultation for a period of seven weeks between 3 May 2021 and 18 June 2021.
Next steps
Council thanks all landowners and residents of Tatura who made a submission to the draft Tatura Structure Plan.
Council officers have reviewed all of the submissions received and have commissioned additional background reports to address some of the concerns raised in submissions.
These background reports include:
- A Traffic Impact Assessment Report (TIAR) – Council engaged Traffic Works Pty Ltd to undertake this work which has been completed. The TIAR will identify the transport infrastructure required to support the ultimate residential development within the structure plan, investigate the scale and nature of this infrastructure or any required upgrades, and, critically, identify the cost of this infrastructure.
- An Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP) – Council engaged Spiire Australia Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The IWMP will investigate the management of flood risks, stormwater quality impacts on local waterways, and the quantum and cost of any stormwater drainage infrastructure required to service the future community. A draft IWMP was exhibited as part of draft consultation and a final report is expected to be completed in mid-2023.
- An Ecological Assessment – Council engaged Ecological & Heritage Partners Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The assessment has been completed and identified the extent and type of native vegetation present within the study area. Council commissioned an additional assessment to further investigate areas identified as containing significant native vegetation, which has been completed.
- A Bushfire Impact Assessment (BIA) – Council has engaged Practical Ecology Pty Ltd to undertake this work which has been completed. The BIA identifies any bushfire risks and provides a list of recommendations based on the determined bushfire risk.
- A Community Infrastructure Needs Assessment (CINA), which will also assess Mooroopna – Council has engaged ASR Research Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The CINA will assess existing community facilities, assess their capacity to meet the future community’s needs and identify any future infrastructure requirements (e.g. maternal child and healthcare centre, sporting facilities, etc.). A final report is expected in late 2022.
- An Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment (ACHIA) – Benchmark Heritage Pty Ltd was engaged to undertake this work. The ACHIA will investigate whether any sites are considered to be of high Aboriginal cultural heritage value and ensure they are protected. This work has been completed.
- An Assessment for the Grey-Headed Flying Fox colony in Cussen Park – Council engaged WSP Australia Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The assessment will be used to create a framework to provide information on how to best protect the bat colony and their habitat from future urban development. This work has been completed.
- A Soil Contamination Assessment Report – Council has engaged Greencap Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The Soil Contamination Assessment Report will provide recommendations on the suitability of sensitive land uses (e.g. residential development) within the structure plan area and outline if any further detailed soil contamination assessments are required. A draft is expected to be received by Council in early 2023.
- An Amenity Impact Assessment Report – Council has engaged GHD Pty Ltd to undertake this work. This report will provide a preliminary assessment of sources of adverse amenity impacts including dust, odour and air emissions against relevant regulations, including agricultural, industrial and transport uses. A draft report is expected to be received by Council in mid 2023.
- A Retail Analysis – Council has engaged Ethos Urban Pty Ltd to undertake this work, which has been completed. The Retail Assessment will review retail and commercial floorspace requirements of Tatura in the context of the structure plan, and provide recommendations on the location, scale, and nature of any additional land needed to accommodate retail uses commensurate with Tatura’s role and function in the retail hierarchy of Greater Shepparton.
- A Utilities Servicing Assessment – Council has engaged Stantec Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The assessment will seek to understand the future utilities servicing needs and relevant considerations for the structure plan. A draft report is expected in mid-2023.
- Costings for a Multipurpose Children’s Centre – Council has engaged Cohen Leigh Architects Pty Ltd to undertake costings for a multipurpose children’s centre that was identified as a requirement in the CINA. The final design and costings are expected in late 2022.
The recommendations of these background reports will be used to inform the preparation of a precinct structure plan (PSP) and development contributions plan (DCP). The PSP will outline the quantum of infrastructure required to support any future residential development and the DCP will seek to apportion to the cost of constructing these infrastructure items equitably to all land identified for future development.
A final PSP will be considered at a future ordinary council meeting. Following this, a planning scheme amendment will then be prepared to implement the PSP and DCP before any land can be developed for residential purposes.
Amendment C242gshe
Council has prepared Amendment C242gshe to the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme. The proposed Amendment rezones approximately 602 hectares of land within the Tatura Structure Plan area from the Farming Zone, Low Density Residential Zone and Rural Living Zone to the Urban Growth Zone to safeguard the land for future development as strategic residential growth corridor.
More details about the Amendment can be found here.
Timeline for development
- Preparation of Draft Traffic Impact Assessment, Draft Integrated Water Management Plan and a Draft Tatura Structure Plan
- Consultation on all draft documentation
- Preparation of additional background reports
- Preparation of the final Tatura Structure Plan
- Planning Scheme Amendment to apply the final Structure Plan to the land
