1. No category

Planning and Environment Act 1987
MELTON PLANNING SCHEME
AMENDMENT C100
EXPLANATORY REPORT
Who is the planning authority?
This amendment has been prepared by the Melton City Council which is the planning
authority for this amendment.
The amendment has been made at the request of Melton City Council.
Land affected by the amendment
The amendment applies to various parcels of land within the municipality. It is proposed to
include 140 dry stone walls into the Schedule of the Heritage Overlay. Five dry stone wall
precincts and two individual walls are proposed to be included in the Schedule to the
Heritage Overlay. The Precincts identify the general location of walls however, the Heritage
Overlay will apply only to specific walls and a 5 metre buffer either side of these walls within
a Precinct as identified on the proposed Heritage Overlay Planning Scheme Maps which
form part of this amendment.
What the amendment does
The amendment implements the findings of the Melton Dry Stone Wall Study by amending
the Schedule to Clause 43.01 Heritage Overlay to include 140 dry stone walls. The
amendment also inserts a new local planning policy and a new Incorporated Document .
The amendment:
 Amends the Schedule to Clause 43.01 Heritage Overlay to include 140 dry stone
walls.
 Inserts a new local planning policy, Clause 22.14 Dry Stone Walls into the Melton
Planning Scheme.

Amends the Schedule to Clause 81.01 to include the City of Melton Dry Stone Wall
Study Volume 3 Statements of Significance as an Incorporated Document in the
Melton Planning Scheme.

Amends Planning Scheme Maps 2HO, 6HO, 9HO, 12HO, 13HO, and 14HO.
Strategic assessment of the amendment
Why is the amendment required?
The amendment is required to give effect to the recommendations contained within the
Melton Dry Stone Walls Study 2011.
The inclusion of the dry stone walls within the Heritage Overlay will assist in protecting the
walls that have been identified as being of local heritage significance.
The introduction of a new local policy at Clause 22 will provide guidance for the assessment
of any planning permit applications that affect dry stone walls in the municipality.
How does the amendment implement the objectives of planning in Victoria?
The amendment implements the objective ‘to conserve and enhance those buildings, areas
or other places which are of scientific, aesthetic, architectural or historical interest or
otherwise of special cultural value’ as set out in section 4(1)(d) of the Planning and
Environment Act 1987.
The amendment seeks to achieve this objective by protecting the heritage values of the dry
stone walls which have been identified as being of significance in the municipality.
How does the amendment address any environmental, social and economic
effects?
The amendment will not have any adverse environmental impact as it will protect places of
historic significance.
The amendment will have a positive social effect through the preservation of historically
significant places for future generations.
Heritage places contribute to the character, amenity and identity of the City of Melton and
enhance its appeal as a place to live, work and visit. The protection of these structures of
cultural significance is therefore expected to have positive social benefits for the community.
Does the amendment address relevant bushfire risk?
The amendment will not result in any increase in the risk to life, property, community
infrastructure or the natural environment from bushfire.
Does the amendment comply with the requirements of any Minister’s Direction
applicable to the amendment?
The following Ministerial Directions are relevant to this amendment:
 Ministerial Direction: The Form and Content of Planning Schemes
The amendment is consistent with this Ministerial Direction.
 Ministerial Direction 9: Metropolitan Strategy
The amendment is consistent with the Metropolitan Planning Strategy, Plan
Melbourne. In particular the amendment supports Direction 4.7 - Respect our heritage
as we build for the future.
 Ministerial Direction 11: Strategic Assessment Guidelines
The amendment has been assessed against Ministerial Direction 11 and it is
considered to comply, as detailed in the Explanatory Report.
 Ministerial Direction 15: The Planning Scheme Amendment Process
The amendment will comply with the timelines in this Ministerial Direction.
How does the amendment support or implement the State Planning Policy
Framework and any adopted State policy?
The amendment is consistent with the following provisions of the State Planning Policy
Framework:
Clause 10 - Operation of the State Planning Policy Framework
The goal at Clause 10.02 states that:
The State Planning policy Framework seeks to ensure that the objectives of planning in
Victoria (as set out in Section 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987) are fostered
through appropriate land use and development planning policies and practices which
integrate relevant environmental, social and economic factors in the interests of net
community benefit and sustainable development.
Clause 10.02 sets out seven general principles that must be considered by a planning
authority when preparing a planning scheme. The general principle relating to the heritage
makes particular reference to the need to:
To conserve and enhance those buildings, areas or other areas which are of scientific,
aesthetic, architectural or historical interest, or otherwise of special cultural value.
The application of the heritage overlay to dry stone walls in the municipality will help to
preserve and enhance these structures of historical significance.
15.01-5 Cultural identity and neighbourhood character
The objective of Clause 15.01-5 is:
To recognise and protect cultural identity, neighbourhood character and sense of place.
The strategies include:
 Ensure development responds and contributes to existing sense of place and cultural
identity.
 Ensure development recognises distinctive urban forms and layout and their relationship
to landscape and vegetation.
 Ensure development responds to its context and reinforces special characteristics of local
environment and place by emphasising:
 The underlying natural landscape character.
 The heritage values and built form that reflect community identity.
 The values, needs and aspirations of the community.
Dry stone walls are part of the City of Melton’s cultural identity and contributes to its sense of
place. The preservation of these walls will contribute to the retention of an important aspect
of the City’s history, and its connection with the volcanic plains and cones.
Clause 15.03 – Heritage
The objective of Clause 15.03-1 Heritage Conservation is:
To ensure the conservation of places of heritage significance.
The Heritage Strategies include:



Identify, assess and document places of natural and cultural significance as a basis for
their inclusion in the planning scheme.
Provide for the conservation and enhancement of those places which are of, aesthetic,
archaeological, architectural, cultural, scientific, or social significance, or otherwise of
special cultural value.
Ensure an appropriate setting and context for heritage places is maintained or
enhanced.
Dry stone walls have been identified in the Melton Dry Stone Wall Study and the Melton
Heritage Study as being an important element of the City of Melton’s historical development,
and therefore it is appropriate to conserve and enhance these structures for the benefit of
the community.
How does the amendment support or implement the Local Planning Policy
Framework, and specifically the Municipal Strategic Statement?
Clause 21.03-2 of the Melton Planning Scheme sets out Council’s Planning Objectives to be
achieved via the Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS). The MSS outlines a number of
visions and objectives for the municipality, with one of these objectives being the need to
‘protect and enhance areas of environmental, historical and cultural significance and
sensitivity.’
The amendment is consistent with this objective, as it is seeking to protect structures which
form an important part of the City of Melton’s historical development.
Does the amendment make proper use of the Victoria Planning Provisions?
The application of the Heritage Overlay controls is the most appropriate tool to protect the
dry stone walls identified in this amendment.
The purpose of the Heritage Overlay is:


To conserve and enhance heritage places of natural or cultural significance.
To conserve and enhance those elements which contribute to the significance of
heritage places.
The amendment will support the objectives of the overlay by implementing the heritage
protection of dry stone walls which have been identified as having heritage significance and
value to the community.
How does the amendment address the views of any relevant agency?
The preparation of the amendment has been undertaken in consultation with Heritage
Victoria and Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). The
comments and advice of both agencies have informed the preparation of this amendment.
The exhibition of the amendment will provide additional opportunities for any agency to
make a submission in respect to the proposal.
Does the amendment address relevant requirements of the Transport
Integration Act 2010?
The requirements of the Transport Integration Act 2010 (VIC) are not relevant to this
amendment.
Resource and administrative costs

What impact will the new planning provisions have on the resource and
administrative costs of the responsible authority?
The amendment will not add significantly to the resource and administrative costs of
Council.
The amendment will result in the need for access to the services of a Heritage Advisor by
both Council officers and the community. However, this is already occurring in the
absence of formal protection of the dry stone walls.
The amendment will result in a small increase in the number of planning applications to
Council as the Heritage Overlay controls trigger permits for various buildings and works.
Where you may inspect this Amendment
The amendment is available for public inspection, free of charge, during office hours at the
following places:
Melton Civic Centre
232 High Street
Melton
Caroline Springs Civic Centre/Library
193-201 Caroline Springs Blvd
Caroline Springs
The amendment can also be inspected free of charge at the Department of Environment,
Land, Water and Planning website at www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/publicinspection
Submissions
Any person who may be affected by the amendment may make a submission to the
planning authority. Submissions about the amendment must be received by 7 August 2015.
A submission must be sent to:
Manager Planning and Environment
Melton City Council
PO Box 21
Melton VIC 3337
Panel hearing dates
In accordance with clause 4(2) of Ministerial Direction No.15 the following panel hearing
dates have been set for this amendment:
 directions hearing: the week commencing 12 October 2015.
 panel hearing: the week commencing 9 November 2015.