Tatura Precinct 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 to progress planning and investigation works for the Tatura Precinct Structure Plan. This work must be completed before any additional land can be rezoned for residential purposes. The Precinct 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 were 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 was developed on the recommendations of the three background reports and provides information on appropriate densities for future residential development, and all appropriate regional traffic and drainage 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 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 also 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 that will ensure any development prioritises the safety of human life.
- A Community Infrastructure Needs Assessment (CINA) – Council engaged ASR Research Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The CINA assessed existing community facilities, their capacity to meet the future community’s needs and identified any future infrastructure requirements (e.g. maternal child and healthcare centre, sporting facilities, etc.).
- An Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment (ACHIA) – Benchmark Heritage Pty Ltd was engaged to undertake this work. The ACHIA investigated whether any sites are considered to be of high Aboriginal cultural heritage value and ensure they are protected.
- 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 determine how to best protect the colony and their habitat from future urban development.
- 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.
- An Amenity Impact Assessment Report – Council has engaged GHD Pty Ltd to undertake this work. This report provides 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 Retail Analysis – Council engaged Ethos Urban Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The Retail Assessment reviewed retail and commercial floorspace requirements of Tatura in the context of the growth anticipated in the Precinct Structure Plan, and provides 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 engaged Stantec Pty Ltd to undertake this work. The assessment seeks to understand the future utilities servicing needs and relevant considerations for the Precinct Structure Plan.
- 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.
- Integrated Water Management Plan – Council has engaged Alluvium Consulting to develop this plan. 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 to support the residential development. The report is being prepared concurrently with the PSP and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025.
Tatura Precinct Structure Plan
Council has now engaged Mesh Planning to develop the Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), Development Contributions Plan (DCP) and Open Space and Landscape Strategy that will be the ultimate plans that guide the future development of Tatura’s growth areas. Once drafted, these plans will go through a full round of community consultation and then be implemented into the Greater Shepparton Planning Scheme through an amendment process.
The recommendations of the background reports will be used to inform the preparation of the PSP and 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 and ensure it is delivered in a timely manner.
A final PSP will be considered at a future ordinary council meeting. As part of this, a planning scheme amendment will also 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 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, Ecological Assessment and a Draft Tatura Structure Plan
- Consultation on all draft documentation
- Preparation of additional background reports
- Preparation of the Tatura Precinct Structure Plan and Development Contributions Plan
- Planning Scheme Amendment to apply the final Structure Plan to the land
