Planning and Environment Act 1987 MACEDON RANGES PLANNING SCHEME AMENDMENT C2 PART 1 EXPLANATORY REPORT Who is the Planning Authority? This amendment has been prepared by the Roads Corporation (“VicRoads”). VicRoads is the Planning Authority for this amendment. Land affected by the Amendment The amendment affects land along the proposed route of the Calder Freeway - Kyneton to Faraday Section. This land is: Located between the northern end of the Kyneton bypass at Wards Lane and approximately 400 metres north of Malmsbury East Road. The land follows the existing Calder Highway for approximately 2 kilometre before swinging east to cross Malmsbury East Road. What the Amendment Does The amendment: • Applies the Public Acquisition Overlay to the affected land to identify land to be acquired by VicRoads and to reserve land for the future Calder Freeway between Kyneton and Faraday. • Makes minor corrections to the schedule to the Public Acquisition Overlay. • Introduces a new schedule 12 to the Design and Development Overlay. The new schedule seeks to ensure that development within the vicinity of the Calder Freeway between Kyneton and Faraday is undertaken with consideration of noise attenuation measures to minimise the impact of traffic noise on noise sensitive activities. • Amends the schedule to Clause 52.17 so that no permit is required to remove, destroy or lop native vegetation for works undertaken by or on behalf of VicRoads associated with a road in a Road Zone, Category 1 and required for construction of the Calder Freeway between Kyneton and Faraday. Why the Amendment is required The Calder Highway is one of Victoria’s most important regional highways providing essential access between southern New South Wales, north-central and north western Victoria, and domestic and export markets in Melbourne. VicRoads has prepared the Calder Highway Kyneton to Faraday Environment Effects Statement, August 2000 which provides an assessment of alternative routes for upgrading the Calder Highway between Kyneton and Faraday. The project provides a four-lane divided road within a freeway reservation suitable for conversion to a freeway standard in the longer term. The Minister for Transport has adopted part of route option KF1 as the route for the new Calder Freeway between Kyneton and Faraday. A 6-kilometre area along route KF1 north of Malmsbury East Road and south of the Metcalfe-Taradale Road has been excluded from this amendment and Amendment C8 Part 1 to the Mount Alexander Planning Scheme. VicRoads is undertaking further investigation of this area in order to minimise the impact of the route on some remnant native vegetation. This amendment is required to enable VicRoads to acquire and reserve land for the upgrade of the Calder Highway between Kyneton and Faraday. Impacts of the Amendment Social and Economic Effects The amendment will have social and economic impacts. Dislocation, severance and disruption arising from land acquisition for the project will affect landowners and occupiers of affected land. The local road network will also be affected. Ultimately, all access to the Calder Freeway will be via interchanges only. The amendment will also have positive effects as the adopted alignment will result in significant safety and travel benefits and is supported by key stakeholders. The implemented and planned major works along the Calder Highway from Keilor to Ravenswood have recently been estimated to have an overall benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 2.6 (at a 7% discount rate) and a Net Present Value of $730 million (Maunsell McIntyre, 2000). While the BCR of individual sections varies along the highway from Keilor to Ravenswood, all sections including the Kyneton to Faraday Section are essential to providing a consistent high quality link between Melbourne and Bendigo as a major regional centre for economic growth. Environmental Effects The amendment will have an impact on the environment. As part of the construction, mitigation works will be carried out to minimise these impacts. The alignment predominantly crosses rural land and generally would have an impact on flora and fauna in particular the movement and dispersal links of the Brush-tailed Phascogale. Minister’s Directions The amendment is consistent with the Ministerial Direction on the Form and Content of Planning Schemes under section 7 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. The use and development proposed by this amendment is not affected by any of the Minister’s Directions under section 12 of the Act. Strategic and Policy Justification of the Amendment The amendment implements the objectives and strategies of the Policy on Infrastructure contained in the State Planning Policy Framework of both Planning Schemes. This policy encourages new transport routes to be located so that: • The greatest overall benefit to the community is achieved; • The best use of existing social, cultural and economic infrastructure occurs; • Impacts on the environment are minimised; and • Accessibility, safety, emergency access, service and amenity are optimised. Most importantly, new transport routes and adjoining land uses should be located and designed to minimise disruption of residential communities and their amenity. The principles and strategies set out in the document entitled Linking Victoria (Department of Infrastructure, 1996) have been considered during the preparation of this amendment. The Calder Highway Strategy, 1995 identified the need for a high standard four-lane freeway between Melbourne and Kyneton, and a four-lane divided highway between Kyneton and Bendigo. Between Kyneton and Ravenswood, the Strategy established the requirement that the four-lane divided highway be within a reservation suitable for conversion to a freeway in the longer term..