Amendment C269 is a proposed change to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme to facilitate the rehabilitation and future development of the former quarry at 149 McKimmies Road, Bundoora.

The Amendment will provide new planning controls to guide the future development of the site for residential use to provide for a diversity of housing options on the site. The current Industrial zone will be replaced with a Residential zone.

The Amendment applies to land shown as the “Subject site” in Figure 1. The site is a former quarry that has since been progressively filled with ‘clean fill’ material.

The Amendment proposes the following changes to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme:

• Rezones the subject site to General Residential Zone to facilitate residential development
• Applies a Development Plan Overlay to the rezoned land. This will require a Development Plan to be prepared to guide future development of the site
• The current Land Subject to Inundation Overlay to be amended in line with the most recent flood level mapping prepared by Melbourne Water
• The Darebin Creek environs will remain protected in the Urban Floodway Zone
• The corridor for the future E6 road will not be rezoned and will remain reserved for the road.

The Development Plan Overlay proposed to be applied as part of the Amendment will require the preparation of a Development Plan prior to residential use on the site.

A Development Plan is an overarching master plan for the site that will guide the future development of the site.

The plan to be prepared will address a range of matters. These are outlined in the exhibited planning controls and include road network, open space, servicing, housing density, urban design, stormwater drainage and geotechnical issues.

Council will further consult with affected parties including surrounding residents during the preparation of the Development Plan.

Part of the site is to be used for the E6 road project. The E6 is a planned major road that will connect the Metropolitan Ring Road to the Hume Freeway. The timing of this road project is not yet known. The E6 road reserve land will be excised from the rest of the site and will form the eastern boundary of this development. It will be protected from the urban development by remaining in its current zone.

Given the former use of the site as a quarry, environmental issues including contamination have been thoroughly investigated to ensure the site is safe and suitable for residential development. An independent environmental auditor was appointed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to oversee an environmental audit of the site.

The audit was completed in January 2023. The audit provides conditions and requirements to be met to ensure the site is safe for residential development. The auditor will monitor the rehabilitation and development of the site ensuring these conditions and requirements are met.

An existing permit allows for ‘clean’ soil to be imported onto the site to fill the former quarry hole. Clean fill is excavated soil, clay, gravel, sand or rock and does not contain any other type of waste. The soil was being imported and stockpiled at the site while the environmental audit was underway. With that now complete, it is being used to fill the quarry hole. The contractor has advised they have implemented additional measures to control dust and mud to minimise impacts on surrounding properties.

Once the Minister for Planning grants authorisation to make the Planning Scheme Amendment, Council is required to exhibit the Amendment within 40 days of that decision. The exhibition period will be for 39 days and will include additional communications to inform surrounding residents. Council must then resolve to adopt or abandon the Amendment within 60 days of the end of the exhibition period. If adopted, Council must advise the Minister for Planning within 10 days of that decision.

Following the exhibition of the Amendment, a report will be presented to Council to consider the submissions received. It is likely that an independent planning panel will be required to be appointed to consider any unresolved submissions and provide recommendations on the Amendment prior to Council making a final decision.

A drop-in information session will be held on 2 October from 4pm to 6pm at Miller Community Centre.

Council planning officers can also be reached on:

Telephone - 9217 2170

Email – strategic.planning@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

Formal submissions to the exhibited Amendment need to be made in writing, either by email to

Strategic.planning@whittlesea.vic.gov.au If submitting via email please reference Whittlesea Planning Scheme Amendment C269wsea in the title of your email.

Or post

Chief Executive Officer
City of Whittlesea
Locked Bag 1
Bundoora MDC VIC 3083

Or fill in the submission form on this page.