The City of Melbourne is growing and changing – and we need to plan ahead to meet the needs of residents, businesses and visitors.
A structure plan sets out a vision for an area in the next 10 to 20 years. Structure plans provide guidance to the community, planners, business, government and developers about appropriate directions and opportunities for change.
Structure plans are strongly focussed on sustainability in the broad sense – that means planning for change that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.
Structure plans include:
- Plans to guide activities and land uses, including proposed locations for new community hubs and business clusters.
- Plans to sustainably manage traffic, car parking, walking, cycling, public transport, and freight transport routes.
- Guidance about building heights and forms.
- Plans to enhance open space, including public gathering spaces, parks and gardens.
As part of the structure planning process, we consult with the community, businesses and other interested people and groups. We also undertake research and consider factors that will influence the area, such as proposed development (for example, new roads or train stations).
Sometimes the changes proposed in a structure plan will require amendments to a planning scheme. This requires additional research, consultation and the involvement of the State Government (Minister for Planning). Sometimes an independent panel is also convened to assess changes and hear submissions about proposed changes from the community and other stakeholders.
It generally takes about 12 months from the start of a structure planning process until it is finally approved and becomes ‘legal’ through a planning scheme amendment process.
The City of Melbourne recently completed structure plans for Southbank, Arden-Macaulay and City North.