Explanatory Report

Cooper Street Employment Area 2

1. Who is the Planning Authority?

Amendment C31 to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme has been prepared by the , which is also the Planning Authority for this amendment.

2. Land Affected by the Amendment

The land affected by the amendment is generally the land in Epping, on either side of Cooper Street, identified on the Municipal Strategic Statement as Employment. Cooper Street is a major east-west arterial link from High Street Epping in the City of Whittlesea to the Highway at Somerton, in the City of Hume. With a total area of approximately 396 hectares, the land affected by the amendment is bounded by the Craigieburn Bypass to the west, O'Herns Road to the north, the boundary of the land currently zoned industrial to the east and the proposed Childs Road extension to the south. The plan does not apply to land within the public acquisition overlay for the interchange of the Craigieburn Bypass and O’Herns road. The site is comprised of around 10 land parcels under different ownership.

3. What does Amendment C31 do?

Amendment C31 involves a suite of changes to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme that will put in place a statutory and strategic framework to enable the establishment of an employment generating area in Cooper Street Epping.

Amendment C31 consists of several plans designed to be either incorporated into the Whittlesea Planning Scheme, or are Council documents that aim to guide the design outcomes of the future development, which are referred to in the Scheme. These plans have been prepared in order to exhibit Council’s strategic vision for this site. They have different levels of detail and statutory weight in accordance with their proposed function. The plans are set out as follows:

• Comprehensive Development Plan (incorporated into the Planning Scheme via a Schedule in the Comprehensive Development Zone) • Development Contributions Plan Overlay (incorporated into the scheme via a Schedule to the Overlay) • Development Plan Overlay (This requires Council to adopt the Cooper Street Development Plan) • Design and Development Overlay (This makes the Cooper St Employment Area Design and Use Guidelines a reference document)

Cooper Street Employment Area Comprehensive Development Plan - Schedule to the Comprehensive Development Zone The Schedule to the Comprehensive Development Zone (CDZ) establishes the vision and broad land use and transport plan for the area. The Schedule is proposed to be incorporated into the Whittlesea Planning Scheme to ensure there is co-ordination across various land parcels. An indicative landuse diagram is part of the schedule to the CDZ, this diagram is called the Comprehensive Development Plan.

The Comprehensive Development Zone is a transitional zone and once development occurs it is anticipated that a rezoning will occur that reflects the uses in the Cooper Street Employment Area. 3

Development Contributions Plan Overlay The Development Contributions Plan is incorporated into the Planning Scheme and specifies the items for which development contributions are to be levied and the amounts that developers will be required to contribute for the provision of this infrastructure and open space. Items generally include:

• Land and road construction costs. • Land for the railway reservation. • Land for open space and bicycle and pedestrian paths. • Construction of bicycle and pedestrian paths.

Implementation of the Development Contributions Plan will necessitate introduction of the Development Contributions Plan Overlay. This will apply to the same land covered by the Comprehensive Development Zone.

Cooper Street Development Plan The Cooper Street Development Plan is a Council document which provides the contextual and diagramatic detail behind the Comprehensive Development Plan, described above. It covers the regional context and the policy context for the development of the plan. This is followed by an analysis of the site conditions, including the natural environment and Aboriginal and European heritage. Existing land uses and planning scheme controls and proposed planning scheme controls are detailed. The location and description of open space and conservation areas and the network of pedestrian and bicycle paths are explained. The plan sets out the transportation network, servicing plans and the rationale to the calculation of development contributions.

Implementation of the Development Plan will necessitate introduction of the Development Plan Overlay. This will apply to the land covered by the Comprehensive Development Zone.

Design and Development Overlay - Cooper Street Employment Area Design and Use Guidelines Given the importance afforded to design it is necessary to give statutory weight to Council’s design objectives. This can be achieved through application of the Design and Development Plan Overlay. This Overlay forms part of the Planning Scheme and makes reference to the requirement for the Responsible Authority to consider how the proposed development relates to the Cooper Street Employment Area Design Guidelines.

The Guidelines specify the matters which must be addressed by individual land owners in pursuing rezoning and subdivision applications. The objectives for the design of the estate and the road layout are outlined and guidelines for provision of engineering services are provided.

An important component of the guidelines is the information provided on where the broad range of permitted uses are appropriately sited within the Employment Area.

The guidelines outline how to achieve the high quality design and landscaping envisaged for the employment area. They cover components of the built form such as façade design, paving and fencing, setbacks, landscaping, advertising and lighting, car parking and vehicular access, storage and loading and waste management. Guidelines relating to environmental issues include erosion and silt control, air emissions, hours of operation and design for energy efficiency. The guidelines will ensure a co-ordinated design approach that will enhance the investment of those choosing to locate and work within the Cooper Street employment land. The guidelines provide clear direction in relation to the quality of development that Council expects. 4

It is proposed to apply the Design and Development Overlay to the land proposed to be rezoned to the Comprehensive Development Zone.

4. Why the amendment is required

Council is committed to the establishment of the area as a high quality industrial and office development area with the objective of providing business and industrial services and employment to the growing population of the northern suburbs of . The role of the future Cooper Street employment area in providing this function is recognised at a metropolitan level due to its scale, accessibility, proximity to existing and proposed infrastructure and capacity for job creation and economic development.

Given the number of landowners in the area a co-ordinated approach is required to facilitate development.

5. Impact of the Amendment

The development of the Cooper St area for employment generating industrial and business uses will be of great benefit to the City of Whittlesea and the northern suburbs of Melbourne. The development will take advantage of the existing and proposed transport investments and will provide employment for the residential growth areas to the north. The design of the development retains areas of environmental significance and aims to minimise the impact of the change in landuse from rural to urban on the natural environment.

Economic Effects The lands adjoining Cooper St are proposed for rezoning from Industrial 1, Rural and Special Uses 4 (extractive industry) zone to the Comprehensive Development Zone. This is based upon the strategic aim to integrate local work opportunities into the growing residential areas of northern Melbourne. The development of Cooper St will assist in building economic opportunities for the local area.

The Department of State Development has indicated the potential of the area to form an extension to the Hume Industrial precinct and as an area of significant investment and employment generating potential. The State government, through its development facilitation role (Business ) has recognised the locational advantages of the area for future investment. Melbourne 2030 Planning for Sustainable Growth (October 2002,p87) identifies the Cooper Street Employment Area as a “proposed major industrial area.”

The Cooper Street precinct is strategically located within the City of Whittlesea in relation to existing residential development and projected future residential growth. The area will play a significant role in the provision of employment for the projected 40,000 residents of Epping North. Council's Household Survey (2003) found that 18.1% of employees gave manufacturing as their source of employment. Of manufacturing employees who gave their occupation 40.3% were "labourers and related workers", 21.4% were "tradespersons", 14.4% were "plant and machine operators or divers", and 8.0% were "managers or administrators".

The Cooper Street Employment Area is strategically located within the City of Whittlesea in relation to key existing and planned road networks. Major infrastructure projects have been commenced in the vicinity of the site. These include the Craigieburn By-pass which will have interchanges with Cooper Street and at a later date with O'Herns Road. This Bypass will provide a link from the Western Ring Road in Thomastown to the Hume Highway in Craigieburn and is expected to be completed in 2005. The duplication of Cooper Street is nearing completion and the extension of Edgars Road to Cooper Street will commence in mid 2004. 5

Social Effects The availability of a well designed, high quality employment precinct will attract businesses to be located in the Cooper Street Employment Area and therefore provide employment to the residents of the City of Whittlesea.

Environmental Effects A key feature in preparing the Cooper Street Development Plan has been the incorporation of environmental objectives. A preliminary vegetation assessment was commissioned by the City of Whittlesea in early 2001. This report identified areas of environmental significance and vegetation linkages which are of significance for fauna movement. Where possible areas of environmental significance such as habitat links along the stony rises and areas of grassy woodland are incorporated into public open space.

The transportation system is designed to be multi-modal by the provision of pedestrian and bicycle links. These paths are to be incorporated into a connection along the Edgars Creek and to the Northern Hospital and Epping Plaza. A reservation has been made through the site to provide a rail service from Lalor Station to the future Epping North Residential Development. Train stations are proposed between Epping Plaza and the Northern Hospital and north of O'Herns Road.

The guidelines for the built form aim to promote energy efficiency and treatment of stormwater thereby reducing the downstream impact of the development. The provision of employment land adjacent to the major proposed residential development of Epping North will also reduce environmental pollution associated with long travel distances.

Minister's Directions The use and development envisaged by this amendment is not affected by any of the Minister's Directions under Section 12 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. The amendment is consistent with the Ministerial Direction on the Form and Content of Planning Schemes under Section 7 of the Act.

Strategic and policy justification of the amendment The City of Whittlesea has identified this area as future employment since the City of Whittlesea General Plan was prepared in 1995 which identified the creation of a new high amenity industrial area, along Cooper Street. This concept has been further refined in the Epping Bulge Positions Statement (1995), Cooper Street Precinct Strategy (1996) and Municipal Strategic Statement (1998). Amendment C31 applies the policy position of these documents.

State Planning Policy Framework The development of the land around Cooper Street for urban purposes with a focus on employment is reinforced in relevant sections of the State Planning Policy Framework. Clause 17.03, a state response to industrial development, has the objective of ensuring the availability of land for industry and to facilitate the sustainable development and operation of industry and research and development.

Local Planning Policy Framework - Municipal Strategic Statement The Cooper Street Development Plan supports the general intent of the MSS in relation to Employment and Economic Development. The strategies are to:

• Protect future industrial activity within the Cooper Street precinct by ensuring that non- industrial land uses that would adversely affect industry viability are discouraged from encroaching on the area. 6

• Ensure that all new employment areas have regard to high quality urban and landscape design and appearance • Oppose potential rezoning of land reserved for employment purposes • Establish high quality urban and landscape design treatments at major gateways and along main roads. • Continue to work with all servicing agencies to resolve issues relating to the provision of infrastructure within the Cooper Street growth areas. • Focus on the planning for the concept of integrated business parks in Cooper Street and Mernda/Doreen.

The specific actions implemented by Amendment C31 as recommended in the MSS are:

• Implement the Cooper Street Precinct Strategy pending finalisation of the alignment of the Hume Highway • Following definition of the Hume Freeway alignment review the Cooper Street Precinct Strategy as required and pursue rezoning of land in accordance with the Strategy. • Facilitate the development process ahead of demand by co-ordinating the preparation of Development Plans in consultation with land owners and specialist consultants on selected sites.

An objective of the MSS relating to infrastructure provision is to:

• Pursue urban rezonings in Cooper Street and Epping North to raise the status of the area and to provide the impetus for servicing agencies to resolve outstanding servicing requirements.

An action of the MSS relating to Image and Appearance is to:

• Improve the appearance of existing industrial areas in Epping and set high standards of urban design and visual quality for future employment areas along Cooper Street by implementing the amenity improvement recommendations of the Cooper Street Precinct Strategy.

7. Where you may inspect this amendment

The amendment can be inspected free of charge during office hours at:

Department of Infrastructure City of Whittlesea Customer Service Centre Planning Services Department Upper Plaza Civic Centre Nauru House Ferres Boulevard 80 Collins Street SOUTH MORANG VIC 3752 MELBOURNE VIC 3000 Or At the City of Whittlesea Website – www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au