Activity Centre Boundaries and Activity Centre Zone
Activity Centre Zone
The Activity Centre Zone (ACZ) is the preferred tool to guide and facilitate the use and development of land in activities areas. The ACZ can be found at Clause 37.08 (PDF 66.6kb) of the Victoria Planning Provisions.
The ACZ is a centre-wide tool developed specifically for application at Central Activities Areas (CAAs), Principal Activities Areas (PAAs), Major Activities Areas (MAAs) and Specialised Activities Areas (SAAs) in metropolitan Melbourne.
It has also been developed for application at larger regional cities which demonstrate distinct ‘CBD’ type functions and have undertaken a structure planning process. In very limited instances it may be considered for application at large Neighbourhood Activities Areas (NAAs).
To apply the ACZ an activities areas boundary must be identified. This boundary should match the adopted structure plan boundary for the centre.
The Activity Centre Zone Practice Note provides more detailed guidance on applying the Activity Centre Zone.
Other practice notes and advisory notes published by DPCD about activity centres can be found on the Practice and Advisory Notes web page.
Activity Centre Zone Mapping Style Guide
The Activity Centre Zone Mapping Style Guide has been developed to assist in the production of maps to be included in an Activity Centre Zone Schedule (ACZ Schedule). It provides guidance and explains what needs to be shown on the maps and how best to show this information.
Activity Centre Zone Mapping Style Guide (PDF - 989 KB)
Activity Centre Zone Mapping Style Guide Word Accessible Version (MS Word - 107 KB)
Defining Activities Areas / Activity Centre boundaries
The Government's intention is that all councils with CAAs, PAAs and MAAs define boundaries to provide certainty on were large-scale urban change will occur.The following criteria are available to assist council in determining a boundary for an activities area.
Activities Areas / Activity Centre Boundary Criteria:
a) Consider the following issues in determining the potential location of an Activities Areas / Activity Centre boundary:
- The location of existing commercial areas and land uses.
- The location of existing government and institutional areas and land uses.
- The location of existing areas of public open space.
- Commercial and residential needs.
- Environmental and flooding constraints.
- Heritage constraints.
- Availability of strategic redevelopment sites, both existing and potential.
- The location of residential areas, including whether they provide significant redevelopment opportunities or constraints for the centre.
- Consideration of physical barriers and opportunities for their improvement.
- Proximity to public transport, especially fixed rail (train or tram).
- The location of existing and potential transport infrastructure including fixed rail, buses, bicycle paths, car parking areas and modal interchanges
- Walkability – opportunities to provide for and improve walkability within 400 to 800 metres from the core of the centre (depending on topography and connectivity).
- Consistency with State policy.
- Consistency with local policy and MSS.
- Impacts of the boundary on other Activity Centre boundaries.
- Sufficient land to provide for the commercial (retailing, office, fringe retailing and support activities such as entertainment) activities needed over a 15 to 20 year time frame and then into the 30-year horizon.
- Residential areas that are integrated into the Activities Area or surrounded by other uses that have a strong functional inter-relationship with the Activities Area even where limited development opportunities exist.
- Key public land uses that have or are intended to have a strong functional inter-relationship with the Activities Area even where there are no or limited redevelopment opportunities.
- Public open space areas that have or are intended to have a strong functional inter-relationship with the Activities Area.
- Residential land encumbered by significant constraints (such as Heritage Overlays) located at the edge of the Activities Area.
How can I get further information?
For further information on boundaries for Activities Areas:
Visit the: Activities Areas Frequently Asked Questions
Phone: 1300 366 356 (local call cost) or TTY +61 3 9603 8806 (8.30am-5pm Monday-Friday)