Merri-bek Planning Scheme
About the Merri-bek Planning Scheme
Each Council area in Victoria has its own planning scheme.
A planning scheme sets out policies and provisions for the use, development and protection of land in a municipality. It is a legal document prepared by the local Council or the Minister for Planning, and approved by the minister.
All land in Merri-bek is affected by the Merri-bek Planning Scheme. Visit Moreland Planning Scheme online for:
- maps of Merri-bek with zones and overlays
- The Planning Policy Framework (PPF) which sets out the objectives of planning in Victoria at a state, regional and local level. The PPF includes the Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) and local polices which outline the overall vision to guide future land use and development in the municipality, and includes seven key strategic directions for:
- Activity Centres
- Land for Industry and Economic Regeneration
- Housing
- Good Design
- Environmentally Sustainable Development
- Open Space Network
- Transport Network
Planning Scheme Review 2018
A four year review of the Merri-bek Planning Scheme (MPS) was completed in mid 2018 as required by the Planning and Environment Act 1987. The Planning Scheme Review is an examination of the entire MPS and includes recommendations for future work to reflect adopted polices, strategies and State Government reforms. The review found that the MPS is operating well and significant improvements have been made in recent years.
To make sure the Merri-bek Planning Scheme continues to work well, the Planning Scheme Review Report recommended the following future work:
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Identifying ways to streamline zone and overlay controls, to improve useability and reduce planning permits for minor matters;
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Reviewing the built form and land use controls for Brunswick and Glenroy Activity Centres to strengthen employment outcomes on former industrial land and simplify the controls;
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Review the Neighbourhood Character Local Policy to make sure it aligns with the new Residential Zones;
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Ensuring the MPS supports housing to meet the needs of our growing and changing population; and
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Ensuring the MPS contributes to growing the Urban Forest and protecting creek corridors.
Download:
- Planning Scheme Review Report 2018 (PDF 2Mb)
- Council Report DED38/18 Statutory requirement - Planning Scheme Review 13 June 2018 (DOC 92Kb)
Reformed Residential Zones (2017)
On 27 March 2017, the Minister for Planning introduced reformed residential zones based on the recommendations of the Managing Residential Development Advisory Committee to all planning schemes in Victoria by Amendment VC110.
Changes include introducing a new term "garden area" and mending the Neighbourhood Residential Zone, General Residential Zone, Residential Growth Zone and Mixed Use Zone.
See Reformed Residential Zones for further information about the residential zones review, fact sheets and transitional arrangements. See Amendment VC110 to view the new zones.
Local Planning Policy Framework (LPPF) and Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) (2015)
On 29 January 2015 the Minister for Planning gazetted the approval of a revised Local Planning Policy Framework (incorporating the Municipal Strategic Statement and Local Planning Policies) to be included in the Merri-bek Planning Scheme. See Amendment C152 to the Merri-bek Planning Scheme for further information.
Reference and incorporated documents to the Merri-bek Planning Scheme
Below are the most commonly used documents that are referenced in the Merri-bek Planning Scheme or relate to building and planning in some way.
As some of these documents date back a while, we can only provide the PDF version in some instances.
If you have trouble viewing any of these documents, contact Council to arrange an appointment to view these documents at the Moreland Civic Centre, 90 Bell Street, Coburg.
Reference documents to the Merri-bek Planning Scheme (listed at Clause 21.04 of the MSS)
- Brunswick Structure Plan 2010 and addendum to the Brunswick Structure Plan 2012
- Coburg 2020 Structure Plan
- Coburg Activity Centre - Built Form Rationale and Building Envelope 2014 (PDF 9Mb)
- CSIRO Urban Stormwater Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines
- Development Guidelines for Merri Creek, MCMC 2004
- Early Years Strategy 2011-15 (DOC 447Kb)
- Edgars Creek Conservation and Development Plan, Edwardes Lake to Merri Creek, June 2013 (DOC 38Mb)
- Glenroy Structure Plan 2008 (Part 1 - Part 3)
- Later Years Strategy 2007-12 (PDF 766Kb)
- Livable Housing Design Guidelines, Livable Housing Australia
- Moreland Access and Inclusion Policy 2010-14 (DOC 132Kb)
- Moreland Activity Centre Framework 2014 (PDF 14Mb)
- Moreland Affordable Housing Strategy 2014-18 (DOC 4Mb)
- Moreland Art and Culture Strategy 2011-16 (DOC 1Mb)
- Moreland Climate Action Plan 2007 (PDF 1Mb)
- Moreland Economic Development Strategy 2011-16 (DOC 554Kb)
- Moreland Health and Well Being Plan (PDF 11Mb)
- Moreland Industrial Land Use Strategy 2004 (DOC 7Mb)
- Moreland Industrial Land Use Strategy 2004 - Appendix 1 (DOC 11Mb)
- Moreland Integrated Transport Strategy (2010-2019)
- Moreland Integrated Water Management Plan 2010 (DOC 4Mb)
- Moreland Landscape Guidelines 2009 (DOC 1Mb)
- Moreland Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2013-17 (DOC 2Mb)
- Moreland Open Space Strategy 2012-22 (DOC 6Mb)
- Moreland Parking Management Policy 2011 (DOC 188Kb)
- Moreland Rights of Way Strategy 2011-21 (DOC 3Mb)
- Moreland Stormwater Targets - Stormwater Quality Targets for the City of Merri-bek, AECOM and the City of Merri-bek 2012 (PDF 19Mb)
- Moreland Tree Planting Manual for Residential Zones 2014 (DOC 166Kb)
- Moreland Urban Forest Strategy 2017-27 (DOC 20Mb)
- Moreland Vehicle Crossing (Driveway) Policy 2010 (DOC 3Mb)
- Parking Implementation Plan (PDF 3Mb)
- Pentridge Coburg Design Guidelines and Masterplan 2014 (PDF 21Mb)
- Pentridge Village Design Guidelines and Masterplan 2009 (PDF 32Mb)
- Tramway Infrastructure Upgrades 2017 (PDF 3Mb)
Development of four or more storeys
Design and development overlay reference documents
- Design and development overlay 10 - Brunswick Road, Nicholson Street, Barkly Street Development Precinct Height and Massing Study, Rothe Lowman for EG Funds Management, June 2010 (PDF 2Mb)
- Development plan overlay documents and information on the former Kodak site, 173-199 Elizabeth Street, Coburg North (PDF 23Mb)
- Design and Development Overlay 16 - Urban Design Framework 14-22 Gaffney Street, Coburg North June 2013 (PDF 2Mb)
Moreland heritage studies
Former City of Coburg studies
- City of Coburg Heritage Conservation and Streetscape Study - Guidelines for Public Works in Heritage Conservation Areas, Author: Timothy Hubbard (PDF 2Mb)
- City of Coburg Heritage Conservation and Streetscape Study - Volume 3 - Data Sheets, Author: Timothy Hubbard P/L, October 1990 (PDF 4Mb)
- City of Coburg Heritage Conservation and Streetscape Study - Extract, Author: Timothy Hubbard P/L, March 1991 (PDF 1Mb)
- City of Coburg - Heritage Conservation and Streetscape Study - Building Guidelines, Author: Timothy Hubbard P/L, March 1991 (PDF 537Kb)
- Further Conservation Areas Report (supplementary Volume to City of Coburg Heritage Conservation and Streetscape Study), Author: Timothy Hubbard P/L, May 1995 (PDF 2Mb)
- City of Coburg - Heritage Conservation and Streetscape Study - Volume One - Text, Author: Timothy Hubbard P/L, October 1990 (PDF 17Mb)
- City of Coburg - Heritage Conservation and Streetscape Study - Volume Two - Data sheets, Author: Timothy Hubbard P/L, October 1990 (PDF 13Mb)
Former City of Brunswick studies
- Upfield Railway Heritage Study, Author: Andrew C Ward and Associates, May 1990 (PDF 1Mb)
- Keeping Brunswicks Heritage (Volume 1), Author: Context P/L, 1990 (PDF 2Mb)
- Keeping Brunswicks Heritage (Volume 2), Author: Context P/L, 1990 (PDF 11Mb)
- Keeping Brunswicks Heritage (Volume 3), Author: Context P/L, 1990 (PDF 3Mb)
- Brunswick Maps of Heritage Areas, Author: City of Brunswick, 1988 (PDF 1Mb)
City of Merri-bek studies
- City of Merri-bek Heritage Review - Thematic History (Volume 1), Author: Allom Lovell and Associates, April 1998 (Revised January 1999) (PDF 1Mb)
- City of Merri-bek Heritage Review - Building Citations Datasheets A-K (Volume 2, Part 1), Author: Allom Lovell and Associates, April 1998 (Revised January 1999) (PDF 4Mb)
- City of Merri-bek Heritage Review - Building Citations Datasheets L-Z (Volume 2, Part 2), Author: Allom Lovell and Associates, April 1998 (Revised January 1999) (PDF 4Mb)
- City of Merri-bek Heritage Review - Heritage Overlay Precincts (Volume 3), Author: Allom Lovell and Associates, April 1998 (Revised January 1999) (PDF 3Mb)
- City of Merri-bek Heritage Review - Heritage Overlay Guide (Volume 4), Author: Allom Lovell and Associates, January 1999 (PDF 230Kb)
- City of Merri-bek Heritage Review - Landscape Citations (Volume 5), Author: Allom Lovell and Associates, January 1999 (PDF 1Mb)
- City of Merri-bek Heritage Review - Additional Heritage Overlay Precincts, Author: Allom Lovell and Associates, September 2001 (PDF 10Mb)
- City of Merri-bek Heritage Review - Additional Building Citations, Author: Allom Lovell and Associates, October 2001 (DOC 12Mb)
- Moreland Local Heritage Places Review, Author: Context P/L, November 2004 (amended April 2008) (DOC 2Mb)
There are some documents that are only available as PDFs on this page. If you have trouble opening or viewing a PDF document, you can contact us through our Contact page and we will arrange to provide the information in a format that suits your needs. You can also go to our Accessibility page to find out further details.