Activities Areas Frequently Asked Questions
Activities Areas
So what does all this mean for my local activities areas?
Where are the Neighbourhood Activities Areas?
Will additional centres be identified in the future?
Structure Planning
What are the benefits of structure planning for local government?Why has structure planning been chosen as the method for planning activity centres?
How does structure planning fit within the council process?
What about existing work that council has undertaken?
How is the council to manage the transition period until a structure plan is complete?
Who is available to assist in site amalgamations?
Do all activity centres need to go through a structure planning process?
Why has the Structure Planning for Activity Centres Practice Note been revised?
How should building heights and setbacks be dealt with in Activities Areas?
What is the model structure plan and why has it been prepared?
What is the Ruby Town – Background Report Outline?
What is the Activity Centres Toolkit?
Activities Areas / Activity Centre Boundaries
Why do we need boundaries and criteria for activities areas?What opportunity is there for community input before boundaries are finalised?
Activity Centre Zone
Why do we need an Activity Centre Zone (ACZ), and what's wrong with the other controls?What centres currently have ACZs?
Will my centre have an ACZ?
What about third party notice, decision and review rights if all applications are now exempt from notification?
Activities Areas
So what does all this mean for my local activities areas?If your local activities areas is a Principal or Major Activities Areas, then you can expect to see more diversity in the kinds of shops and services it provides and increased density in certain sections, with buildings designed to complement their surroundings.
Other improvements will typically include:
- greater attention to the needs of pedestrians and cyclists
- safer, more attractive bus shelters, tram stops and train stations
- increased frequency of public transport services
- better designed public places, particularly squares, malls and parks.
- increased housing diversity and housing opportunities within the centre
- more people living/visiting the centre.
Where are the Neighbourhood Activities Areas?
Neighbourhood Activities Areas are dominated by small businesses and shops that provide a local convenience function and are highly accessible by foot or bicycle.
Milk bars, newsagents, pharmacies and small grocery stores are features of Neighbourhood Activities Areas, as are local public transport services that link to one or more Principal or Major Activities Areas.
They serve a small, local area and have an important role in encouraging people to walk or cycle to reach the services they need instead of using the car – an important factor in creating healthier communities and lowering greenhouse emissions.
Will additional centres be identified in the future?
Yes, as the metropolitan area grows, new activities areas are needed to serve new and changing communities.
There is no intention of "freezing" the number of activities areas to what already exists.
Any proposals for a new activities areas or expansion of an existing one would need to accord with activity centre policy.
Structure Planning
What are the benefits of structure planning for local government?
Structure planning can help local government to:
- provide greater certainty to the local community and investors about its expectations for the future form of development in its activity centres
- manage change to ensure activity centres are attractive, vibrant areas to live, work and shop
- ensure economic and social vitality of the area
- make best use of Council resources and focus council investment to best serve the community
Structure planning sets out an integrated vision for the desired future development of a place. It establishes a planning and management framework to guide development and land use change in order to achieve stated environmental, social and economic objectives. These objectives are necessary to ensure the change in activity centres anticipated by state government policy is managed appropriately.
It also:
- enables the community and other stakeholders to actively participate in consideration of the future form and function of centres, ultimately helping to secure their confidence in the centre’s development.
- links broad strategic objectives outlined in government policy and the application of suitable mechanisms to facilitate appropriate development.
How does structure planning fit within the council process?
Structure planning should be a whole of Council process, both in its development and implementation. Structure planning should be an input into the development of Council’s corporate plan, in management arrangements and developing budgets and work programs for broader council activities.
What about existing work that council has undertaken?
Many councils will have already completed strategic work for their activities areas. This work will be important in informing the ongoing structure planning process.
The aim of structure planning is to give effect to the key policies and objectives for activities areas in state government policy. Existing work should be assessed to determine the extent to which it does this. The advice contained in the Structure Planning for Activity Centres Practice Note will assist with this assessment.
Further work will be required if planning completed by councils to date does not give affect to the key policies and objectives for activities areas in government policy.
How is the council to manage the transition period until a structure plan is complete?
Under current State Planning Policy, councils are required to concentrate activity around activity centres and plan them in an integrated way (For example, Clause 11 Settlement, Clause 17 Economic Development and Clause 18 Transport).
Implementation of the activity centres policy and normal council application processes should not be put on hold until a structure plan is complete. The current planning scheme provisions continue to apply. Depending on the stage in the process, the outcomes of the structure planning process may have weight in decision-making.
The purpose of interim provisions for structure plans is to assist the management of change in an activities areas or strategic redevelopment site while a planning authority is finalising a structure plan for the area. Interim provisions for structure plans should normally be sought concurrently with the request for authorisation of a planning scheme amendment to implement the statutory outcomes of the structure plan.
See the Advisory Note on the Interim Provisions for structure plans for further information.
Who is available to assist in site amalgamations?
Part of the structure planning process may involve locating sites that may need to be amalgamated in the future. This early identification will help councils to plan for possible site amalgamations.
Do all activities areas need to go through a structure planning process?
It is recognised that many councils have already undertaken structure planning and developed plans, and will not need to start from the beginning.
Further work will be required if planning completed by councils to date does not give affect to the key policies and objectives for activities areas in government policy.
The need for structure planning for neighbourhood areas will need to be assessed by each individual council on a case-by-case basis and in most case is not required. However if a Council wishes to prepare a structure plan for a Neighbourhood Activities Areas, the methodology in the Structure Planning for Activity Centres Practice Note should be followed, noting that significant change is expected in all activity centres.
At a municipal level, an activities areas strategy can be helpful in identifying the expected role and function of different types of centres.
Why has the Structure Planning for Activities Centres Practice Note been revised?
As a result of industry and stakeholder comments the Department undertook a review of the Practice Note.
The revised Practice Note leads to more concise structure plans, providing clearer directions to the community and potential investors in an activity centre. It also provides for a greater focus on community and stakeholder engagement earlier in the structure plan development process and provides clear guidance to Councils on statutory and non-statutory implementation requirements.
How should building heights and setbacks be dealt with in Activities Areas?
DPCD has prepared the Height and Setback Controls Practice Note, to provide greater clarity and guidance to councils in managing growth and change in and around activities areas.
It is important to ensure that new development maintains amenity, and integrates with existing land uses and built form through the structure planning process. Height and Setback Controls must therefore be soundly based on strategic research, which includes comprehensive built form analysis, consistent with State activities areas policy.
Mandatory Height and Setback Controls will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, including heritage areas and areas of environmental significance and sensitivity.
What is the model structure plan and why has it been prepared?
DPCD has prepared a model structure plan in template format to assist Councils. The Ruby Town Model Structure Plan is in a 20-30 page format, and is based on a fictitious activities area; “Ruby Town”. The model structure plan includes sample maps and implementation mechanisms.
What is the Ruby Town – Background Report Outline?
DPCD is intending that shorter and more concise structure plans of 20-30 pages will be prepared in the future, based on the Ruby Town Model Structure Plan. However, it is recognised that concise structure plans will need to be supported by comprehensive background reports.
DPCD has prepared a companion document to the Ruby Town Structure Plan. The Ruby Town Background Report Outline provides a comprehensive table of contents, which address a range of local issues, physical and social infrastructure and environmental conditions which should be considered in the preparation of a structure plan. The background report should include both text and maps, using the same scale base map for each issue area, which will enable composite maps to be produced.
What is the Activity Centres Toolkit?
The Activity Centres Toolkit: Making it Happen, provides a set of tools for councils, the private sector and Government to help implement activities areas policy and structure plan initiatives. It outlines practical, best-practice approaches to improving activities areas and attracting investment for development. The Toolkit includes a number of case studies from a range of centres that showcase best-practice examples undertaken by innovative councils.
Activity Centre Boundaries
Why do we need boundaries and criteria for activities areas?
Defining a boundary for an activities area enables councils to more clearly define the overall extent of the activities area. Many councils have already adopted boundaries for their activity centres across metropolitan Melbourne and at key regional centres through structure planning processes. However, different approaches have been taken to determine and set these activities areas / activity centre boundaries. Setting activities areas / activity centre boundaries based on a consistent set of criteria will enable controls to be applied more consistently across a range of activities areas.
What opportunity is there for community input before boundaries are finalised?
Councils generally ensure communities have an opportunity to comment on the boundaries their activities areas through council structure planning and subsequent amendment processes.
Activity Centre Zone
Why do we need an Activity Centre Zone (ACZ), and what's wrong with the other controls?
Encouraging development in activity centres will help to more sustainably meet the needs of Victoria’s growing population, taking the pressure off more established neighbourhoods and reducing the pressures for urban sprawl. The ACZ offers more flexibility than other zones and is better able to be tailored to achieve the use and development outcomes sought for the centre. By doing this, it will provide far greater certainty to the community and developers.
What centres currently have an ACZ?
When the ACZ was initially announced, five ‘market-ready’ centres were identified as centres where the ACZ would initially be introduced and applied. One of these was Doncaster Hill and it is the first centre to have the ACZ applied.
Will my centre have an ACZ?
The ACZ has been developed specifically for application at CAAs, PAAs, MAAs and 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.
What about third party notice, decision and review rights if all applications are now exempt from notification?
Under previous zones, many types of uses and development were not subject to third party notice, decision and review rights in activities areas. While the ACZ does exempts all applications from third party notice, decision and review rights, through the Schedule to the zone councils have the opportunity to identify which types of uses and development it may want to require notification for.
How can I get further information?
For further information on boundaries for Activities Areas:
Phone: 1300 366 356 (local call cost) or TTY +61 3 9603 8806 (8.30am-5pm Monday-Friday)
Email: activities.areas@dpcd.vic.gov.au