Amendment C137 – Morwell Activity Centre Plan

What is the Morwell Activity Centre Plan and Amendment C137?

The draft Morwell Activity Centre Plan (MACP) is a visionary document used to guide and facilitate growth and development within the Primary Activity Centre of Morwell over the next 15-20 years. Morwell is the last of Latrobe City’s four main towns to have an activity centre plan prepared.

The MACP will guide changes to land use, built form and public spaces that together can achieve economic, social and environmental objectives for the centre.

The key directions for the MACP are as follows:

Defining the role of Morwell Activity Centre
Unlocking investment opportunity
Creating streets and public spaces for everyone
Telling the story of Morwell
Appropriately managed car parking

To achieve the key directions, objectives and strategies were established under the four main themes of Land Use and Activity, Built Form and Development, Landscape and Public Realm and Access and Movement as well as the establishment of four precincts with unique identities.

Aims of the Activity Centre Plan

Plan for and develop a shared vision for the Morwell Activity Centre;
Identify the type and scope of change projected over time;
Help manage, influence and facilitate change within the Morwell CBD;
Build upon the community’s desire to reactivate and redefine the Morwell CBD to be complementary, rather than competitive to the Mid Valley Shopping Centre; and
Build upon the strategic work already completed for Morwell, such as the Morwell Town Structure Plan and Future Morwell (Urban Design Revitalisation Plan 2017), consolidating work and filling gaps to ensure the sustainable development of the Morwell Town Centre over the next 15 years.

What does Amendment C137 do?

The amendment affects land within the Morwell Activity Centre (MAC) Study Area which is generally bounded by Fleming Street to the north, McDonald Street and White Street to the east and south east, Elgin Street to the south and Jane Street and Maryvale Crescent to the west and south west (see Figure 1 below). The amendment also affects residential land to the north west of the transit city boundary along Princes Drive, Morwell and to the south east of the transit city boundary along Commercial Road, Morwell. Figure 1 – MAC Study Area

Figure 1 – Amendment C137 Study Area

The amendment proposes to implement the land use and development directions from the Morwell Activity Centre Plan background reports and Morwell Activity Centre Plan (Latrobe City Council, 2022). The Morwell Activity Centre Plan (MACP) forms the basis of the amendment which will guide future decision making as it relates to planning and design matters in the MAC. Generally, the amendment introduces new zones, overlays and local planning policy into the Latrobe Planning Scheme to improve clarity and certainty for stakeholders about the role of the MAC in delivering increased housing, retail and employment opportunities. Specifically, the amendment proposes to:

Introduce Schedule 2 to Clause 37.08 (Activity Centre Zone) (Morwell Activity Centre) (ACZ2) to include the MACP, define four precincts within the centre and prescribe the form of development in each precinct and sub-precinct to meet the objectives of the MAC.
Amending Clause 11.01-1L (Latrobe settlement patterns – Morwell), Clause 11.03-1L (Activity centres), Clause 17.03-1L (Sustainable industry) and Clause 11.03-2L (Morwell to Traralgon Structure Plan) of the Planning Policy Framework.
Rezone Commercial 1 Zone (C1Z) land within the MAC to the ACZ2.
Rezone the majority of Mixed Use Zone (Schedule 1) (MUZ1) land within the MAC to ACZ2.
Rezone the remaining MUZ1 land within the MAC to Residential Growth Zone (Schedule 3) (RGZ3).
Rezone 1-19 Maryvale Crescent, Morwell from Neighbourhood Residential Zone (Schedule 4) (NRZ4) to ACZ2.
Rezone 141 Princes Drive, Morwell from MUZ1 and RGZ3 to ACZ2.
Rezone RGZ1 and RGZ3 land outside the Morwell Transit City boundary to General Residential Zone (Schedule 1) (GRZ1).
Rezone GRZ1 land within the Morwell Transit City boundary to RGZ3.
Amend Schedule 2 to Clause 45.09 (Parking Overlay) (Morwell Activity Centre) (PO2).
Apply the PO2 to all land proposed to be rezoned to ACZ2 within the MAC.
Delete the PO2 from residentially zoned land within and surrounding the MAC.
Apply the Environmental Audit Overlay (EAO) to identify potentially contaminated land.
Amend Latrobe Planning Scheme Zoning Maps 75, 76, 80 and 81.
Amend Latrobe Planning Scheme Parking Overlay Maps 75PO, 76PO and 81PO.
Delete Latrobe Planning Scheme Parking Overlay Map 80PO.
Amend Latrobe Planning Scheme Environmental Audit Overlay Maps 75EAO and 76EAO.

Project History

Stage 1 – Information gathering (2019-2020) – COMPLETE

Research, data collection and review and analysis of background information.

Stage 2 – Development of a suite of Background Reports (2020-2022) - COMPLETE

Stage 2 of the Morwell Activity Centre Plan consisted of the preparation of a suite of background reports to inform the development of the Activity Centre Plan. Initial key stakeholder engagement was also conducted.

Background reports included:

Planning Context Report;
Economic Assessment;
Community Infrastructure Assessment;
Urban Design and Built Form Discussion Paper;
Urban Design and Built Form Plan; and
Transport Assessment and Car Parking Strategy.

Stage 2 – Development of the draft Morwell Activity Centre Plan (the Plan) (2022) - COMPLETE

The recommendations from the background reports and the internal and external consultation undertaken during stage 2 informed the development of the draft Plan.

The draft Plan and background reports were endorsed by Council on 2 May 2022 and permission was granted to seek Authorisation from the Minister for Planning to prepare and exhibit a planning scheme amendment.

Stage 3 – Planning Scheme Amendment – CURRENT STAGE

Stage 3 involves the finalisation of the MACP and the exhibition of a Planning Scheme Amendment to introduce the MACP and its recommendations into the Latrobe Planning Scheme.

Amendment C137 was granted authorisation by DELWP on 19 September 2022.

Exhibition of Amendment C137 took place between 27 October to 28 November 2022.

All submission received to Amendment C137 were presented to Council at a 6 February 2023 Ordinary Council Meeting. At this meeting Council Resolved to adopt Amendment C137. The final approved Amendment C137 was lodged with the Minister for Planning on 9 February 2023 and the amendment was formally Gazetted on 2 June 2023 and now forms part of the Latrobe Planning Scheme.

Further Information

View the related documents below.

Please contact Strategic Planning on 1300 367 700 for any enquiries relating to Planning Scheme Amendment C137.