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Frequently Asked Questions

• Where is Broadmeadows?
• Why are we planning for change and growth in Broadmeadows?
• What is a Central Activities Area?
• What does this mean for Broadmeadows?
• What is a Structure Plan?
• What areas are included in the Structure Plan boundary for Broadmeadows?
• What does the draft Structure Plan look like?

Where is Broadmeadows?

Broadmeadows is a large activity area located in Hume, approximately 15 km north of the Melbourne Central Business District (CBD), and 5km east of Melbourne International Airport.

Broadmeadows is located on a railway line linking Broadmeadows to the CBD, Craigieburn and extending north towards Seymour and Sydney. The centre is also located next to the Western Ring Road.

Why are we planning for change and growth in Broadmeadows?

Over the next 20 years, Melbourne will need to accommodate an additional 600,000 dwellings.  As the city grows, the current pattern of settlement and jobs based around Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD), will become increasingly unsustainable.

To help create a more liveable and sustainable city, it is proposed that Melbourne develops jobs, services, learning and training opportunities, and housing closer to where people live.

Broadmeadows Activities Area has been identified as a significant centre in providing these facilities and services for both the communities of the local catchment, the northern region and the Hume growth corridor.

What is a Central Activities Area?

Central Activities Areas are a Victorian Government priority and are being delivered in partnership with local government, the private sector and the local community. Central Activities Areas are to provide:

• Significant jobs and commercial services
• A strong and diverse retail sector
• Specialised goods and services
• Significant opportunities for housing
• High levels of accessibility through the transport network
• Vibrant centres of community activity and public services.

What does this mean for Broadmeadows?

As a Central Activities Area, Broadmeadows will be transformed to become a hub for investment and development and will be the ‘capital of the north’, servicing the northern growth corridor of Melbourne.
With land available for redevelopment, Broadmeadows will become a key area for new housing, jobs and community services, while also maintaining and enhancing the existing areas of Broadmeadows.

The Victorian Government in partnership with Hume City Council, is in the process of preparing a Structure Plan and associated land-use zone controls for the Broadmeadows Activities Area. The Structure Plan will provide direction for the future growth and development of Broadmeadows in keeping with the shared community, stakeholder and government vision for the area.

What is a Structure Plan?

Structure Plans set out the shared community, stakeholder and government vision for an area. Structure Plans also identify and facilitate the major changes to land uses, building size and design, and public spaces needed, to realise this shared vision. They include a series of policies, strategies and actions that relate to housing, employment, business, community facilities, transport, the public realm and infrastructure.

A Structure Plan is currently being prepared for the Broadmeadows Activities Area by State Government in partnership with Hume City Council.

What areas are included in the Structure Plan boundary for Broadmeadows?

The draft Structure Plan area includes all land in that area bounded by Riggall Street to the north, Merlynston Creek to the east, Camp Road and Johnston Street to the south and Broadmeadows Valley Park to the west (As shown in Figure 1).

The draft Structure Plan area has been divided into five precincts (as shown in Figure 1), each with its own unique land use and development controls.

• Precinct 1 Town Centre
• Precinct 2 Health and wellbeing
• Precinct 3 Northmeadows
• Precinct 4 Eastmeadows
• Precinct 5 Residential neighbourhoods

The Structure Plan also provides policies about regional links to and from Broadmeadows, and other elements outside of the boundary of Broadmeadows which will impact on the development of Broadmeadows Activities Area.

What does the draft Structure Plan look like?

The Broadmeadows Activities Area draft Structure Plan has four separate parts.

Section 1 sets out the future long-term vision for Broadmeadows. It identifies the role of Broadmeadows in providing for both local communities, the northern region and Hume growth corridor. Section 1 also summarises the key issues, features and opportunities for Broadmeadows.

Section 2 contains the objectives, strategies and actions as they apply to the whole of the Structure Plan area. These objectives, strategies and actions are grouped into the following seven themes:

1. Becoming a regional centre
2. Built form, public realm and sustainability
3. Enterprise, retail and business
4. Housing
5. Community and culture
6. Transport and access
7. Open space and recreation.

Section 3 contains specific objectives, strategies, guidelines and actions for each of the five Precincts:

• Precinct 1 Town Centre
• Precinct 2 Health and wellbeing
• Precinct 3 Northmeadows
• Precinct 4 Eastmeadows
• Precinct 5 Residential neighbourhoods

This ensures that the diversity of existing land use and the character of each Precinct is recognised during its future growth and development.

Section 4 sets out the actions that the State Government, its agencies and the council have committed to over the life time of the Plan, to ensure the delivery of key elements.

How has the Broadmeadows Activities Area Draft Structure Plan been prepared?

The Broadmeadows Activities Area Draft Structure Plan has been prepared by the Victorian Government in partnership with the Hume City Council. The Draft Structure Plan has been informed by:

• The community and stakeholder consultation undertaken in 2009 to identify a vision for Broadmeadows Activities Area
• The community and stakeholder consultation undertaken in 2010 to confirm a vision for the Broadmeadows Activities Area and to test draft strategic directions emerging from the Structure Plan process
• Research, studies and investigations
• Government policy and direction.

How will the Structure Plan impact on me as a resident?

An objective of the Structure Plan is to support the development of Broadmeadows as a sustainable place for current and future communities.

The benefits of the Structure Plan include:

• Increased access to community facilities and services, including health care and recreation facilities, with a dedicated health, learning and wellbeing precinct within the town centre
• Improved connections between the eastern and the western parts of Broadmeadows with the preservation of alignments for an extension of Coleraine Street over the railway line, and the preservation of a shared walking and cycling connection between Merlynston Creek and Broadmeadows Valley Park
• A strong stance on the protection and enhancement of open space and environmental assets including the Broadmeadows Valley Park, Town Park, Seabrook Reserve, the Merlynston Creek corridor and the provision of new open space in Northmeadows and as part of major developments
• The provision of more employment opportunities, with the identification of the Broadmeadows Town Centre and Northmeadows Precincts as being suitable for future office and retail development and places for small businesses and services to set up
• More people coming to Broadmeadows as workers, visitors or as residents will mean the city will become more sustainable, vibrant and diverse with activity in public spaces both day and night
• Well located higher density housing opportunities as part of mixed use development, particularly in the Town Centre and Northmeadows precincts, which will provide people with greater choice about where they live
• An increase in the range of housing in terms of types, sizes and tenures in existing residential areas and provided as part of key development sites
• Ensure that new development in existing residential neighbourhoods is considerate of the existing character of the area
• A diverse array of arts, cultural and faith-based services and facilities to be provided as part of new development
• Provision of accessible transport options, with a particular focus on walking, cycling and public transport options throughout the Activities Area
• A requirement to incorporate energy and water efficiency measures as part of new development; and
• Greater certainty about the type, scale and form of future development in the different Precincts of the Broadmeadows Activities Area.

How will the Structure Plan be used and implemented?

The Structure Plan provides a tool with which Hume City Council can manage change, growth and development within the Broadmeadows Activities Area. The provisions of the Structure Plan will be delivered by the State Government, Hume City Council, the private market, developers and the community.

The intended directions and requirements in the Structure Plan will also be translated into zoning controls. When council receives a planning application for a development, the application will be assessed against the vision, objectives and strategies in the Structure Plan and the relevant zoning controls.

The Structure Plan also includes an Implementation Plan. This Implementation Plan sets out the actions that the State Government, its agencies and the council have committed to over the life time of the Plan.

What will happen to those residential areas outside the Structure Plan boundary?

Those residential areas that are not included in the Structure Plan will continue to be managed by council through Better Living in Broadmeadows and Dallas (An urban renewal plan for Broadmeadows-Dallas) and existing zoning controls.

Where can I see the Draft Structure Plan?

There are PDFs available for downloading here. A printed copy of the Broadmeadows Activities Area Draft Structure Plan can be viewed at:

• The Hume City Council civic offices
• The HCC libraries
• The Hume Global Learning Centre
• Dallas Neighbourhood House
• The Banksia Gardens Community Centre.

A summary document of the Broadmeadows Activities Area Draft Structure Plan will also be available at these locations. The summary document will summarise key elements of the plan and will be translated into key community languages including: Assyrian, Arabic, Greek, Italian, Turkish and Vietnamese.

How can I provide feedback on the Draft Structure Plan?

The Victorian Government and Hume City Council value your feedback on the draft Broadmeadows Activities Area Structure Plan.
From 2 November to 9 December 2011, a series of activities will be held to enable community members, businesses and other stakeholders to learn about the draft Structure Plan and provide comments and feedback.

Feedback can be provided:

• At information days held at:
  • Dallas Neighbourhood House, 10am-2pm, Wednesday 9 November 2011
  • Kangan Institute, 10am-2pm, Tuesday 15 November 2011
  • Broadmeadows Shopping Centre, 10am-2pm, Tuesday 22 November 2011
  • Hume Global Learning Centre, 10am-2pm, Thursday 24 November 2011
  • Banksia Gardens Community Centre, 10am-2pm, Wednesday 30 November 2011
• By completing an online questionnaire or at the the Hume Civic Offices, the HCC Libraries and at the Banksia Gardens Community Centre.
• At a presentation to your community group or organisation. To book a presentation for your group or organisation phone 9205 2200.

How will my feedback be used?

• Feedback received during the process will help to finalise the Structure Plan for Broadmeadows. After the period of consultation has closed, a Consultation Report will be prepared outlining the feedback received from the engagement process and how it has been used to influence the Final Structure Plan.
• Consultation Reports from the previous two periods of community engagement (Visioning and Emerging Strategic Directions) are available upon request.

How will my personal information be used?

• You can use this website and participate in the online survey without providing any personal information. Where you provide personal information, or where the feedback you provide contains personal information, this will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Statement.