Overview

In 2019 we engaged with farmers, community members, industry, local government and stakeholders to test criteria for protecting agricultural land around Melbourne. You can read the consultation findings report here.

We have considered your feedback and have developed planning options to deliver lasting protection of agricultural land and guide decision-making in our green wedges.

These options are outlined in a consultation paper, which is available to download from the Consultation materials section of this page.

We want to hear from you and get your feedback on the planning options.

You can have your say by commenting on the feedback map or making a submission.

Your privacy

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is committed to protecting personal information provided by you in accordance with the principles of Victoria's privacy laws.

We encourage you to read the Privacy collection statement in full before participating in any consultation activities.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is committed to protecting personal information provided by you in accordance with the principles of the Victoria’s privacy laws.

Submissions

The submission you provide to DELWP will be reviewed by the ‘Planning for Melbourne’s Green Wedges and Agricultural Land’ project team and will be deidentified before it is used to develop the engagement findings report. The engagement findings report will be uploaded to the ‘Planning for Melbourne’s Green Wedges and Agricultural Land’ webpage on DELWP’s website. The information in it will be available to the Minister for Planning, DELWP staff, and its contracted service providers under confidentiality agreements.

The email address you provide may be used to contact you should we need to clarify your submission, provide you with project updates, or survey you about your customer experience. The postcode information you provide will be used to identify and spatially analyse key themes and common pieces of feedback that emerge from particular parts of the project study area.

To protect individual privacy, DELWP will remove all personally identifiable information (e.g. individual name, email address, postcode) from submissions before they are published on the DELWP website. Please make sure you do not include any free text that would identify you or anyone else. If you are making a submission on behalf of a group or organisation, then your comments may be published, including the name of your organisation. De-identified submissions may be used by DELWP, or its contracted service providers under confidentiality agreements, in preparing its recommendations to government.

Please note, if you do not provide your email address, we will not be able to identify your submission if you wish to access it, make a correction, or require technical support.

Feedback map

The comments you provide to DELWP in the feedback map will be reviewed by the ‘Planning for Melbourne’s Green Wedges and Agricultural Land’ project team, and will be publicly visible to people who visit this website. Please make sure you do not include any free text that would identify you or anyone else.

Comments collected through the map will be collectively analysed and summarised in an engagement findings report. This report will be uploaded to the ‘Planning for Melbourne’s Green Wedges and Agricultural Land’ webpage on DELWP’s website. The information in it will be available to the Minister for Planning, DELWP staff, and its contracted service providers under confidentiality agreements.

Should you need to correct the information you provided or gain access to your submission, please contact us via email at planning.implementation@delwp.vic.gov.au.

For further information about the department’s Privacy Policy please view the DELWP Privacy Policy.

Map legend

Note: the 'Principal Agricultural Zones' and 'Public and Commonwealth Land' layers will appear as you zoom in.

Submission forms

There are two submission forms:

  • Shortform submission, which will take around 10 minutes to complete; or
  • Longform submission, which will take around 30 minutes to complete

Attachments can be uploaded on either form, either independent of or to complement your online submission.

Each submission form will enable you to tell us:

  • What you value about Melbourne’s green wedges and peri-urban areas
  • Whether you support the proposed planning options
  • If you don’t support them, how you think we could improve the proposed planning options, or what we could do instead
  • What impacts the proposed changes are likely to have

Why make a submission?

  • Help shape the future of Melbourne’s green wedges and peri-urban areas
  • Have your say about protecting Melbourne’s foodbowl – an important resource for all Victorians
  • Share your knowledge about living in, working in and visiting these unique areas

Submissions close at 5pm on Friday, 5 February 2021.

Short form submission

Short-form submission

We encourage feedback in a way that suits you.

This short-form submission allows you to provide feedback on the themes outlined in the consultation paper rather than every individual option.

If you'd like to comment on each option, you can use the long-form submission in the next tab.

Please indicate if you are making this submission as an individual or on behalf of an organisation Required
You have 100 characters left.

We are collecting this so we can contact you should we need to clarify your submission, or to provide you with project updates if you have consented to this.

Would you like to receive project updates via email? Required

Your postcode will help us to identify any key themes emerging in particular parts of the study area. This will help inform our analysis of the feedback.

You have 4 characters left.
What is your main relationship to, or interest in the project? Required

This information will be used to analyse key themes and feedback that emerges from specific stakeholder groups.

  1. Environmental and biodiversity features (e.g. coastal areas, waterbodies, forests and grasslands) #
  2. Rural landscapes and open space (e.g. views of farmland, geological features, ranges, hills and coastlines) #
  3. Water supply and facilities (e.g. healthy water catchments, groundwater and waterways, and the provision of water storage and treatment facilities) #
  4. Agriculture (e.g. growing food for Victorians) #
  5. Recreation opportunities (e.g. state and national parks, cycling and walking trails, boating, and equestrian facilities and trails) #
  6. Tourism (e.g. day trips and holidays to enjoy attractions, accommodation, and dining) #
  7. Cultural heritage (e.g. Aboriginal and post-European settlement heritage features like buildings, trees, scattered relics and archaeological sites) #
  8. State-significant infrastructure (e.g. landfills, airports, and renewable energy sources) #
  9. Providing sand, rock, gravel and clay to support new infrastructure (e.g. through quarries) #
  10. A strong, dynamic economy (e.g. based on agriculture, timber, transport, tourism, education, manufacturing, the service industry and commerce) #
  11. Sustainable population growth in townships and settlements (e.g. accommodating population growth and providing services while respecting existing rural character and the environment) #
  12. Rural living (e.g. allowing people to live in rural areas without negatively impacting agriculture, biodiversity and landscapes) #
  13. Transport and accessibility (e.g. servicing the green wedges and peri-urban areas with roads, rail, and public transport networks) #

Strengthening the legislative and policy framework

There is an opportunity to strengthen existing legislation and planning policy to provide for a broad range of uses that may be appropriate in different contexts across the green wedges and to specifically protect farming activities and agricultural land.

Refer to Section 3.1 (pages 13 - 32) of the consultation paper to read these options in full.

Do you support the proposed options for strengthening the legislative and policy framework for green wedges and agricultural land?
You have 800 characters left.

Supporting agricultural land use

Farm businesses in Melbourne's green wedges and peri-urban areas face challenges such as high operational costs, limits to farm expansion and high levels of land use conflicts.

The proposed options for supporting agricultural land use recognise the need to prevent further loss of agricultural land around Melbourne, appropriately balance competing land uses, and make the most of recycled water and urban stormwater for agricultural production.

Refer to Section 3.2 (pages 33 - 50) of the consultation paper to read these options in full.

Do you support the proposed options for supporting agricultural land use in Melbourne's green wedges and peri-urban areas?
You have 800 characters left.

Managing use of green wedges and peri-urban land

As Melbourne continues to grow, pressure to accommodate urban uses of green wedge and peri-urban areas will increase.

The proposed options for managing use of green wedges and peri-urban lands focus on managing the urban-rural interface and managing discretionary uses such as schools, places of worship and tourism uses.

Refer to Section 3.3 (pages 51 - 61) of the consultation paper to read these options in full.

Do you support the proposed options for managing use of green wedge and peri-urban land?
You have 800 characters left.

Improving the design of development in green wedges

The quality of the public and natural realm is vital to the character and role of green wedges.

The proposed options for improving the design of development in green wedges focuses on implementing design standards that can inform appropriate development.

Refer to Section 4 (pages 62 - 71) of the consultation paper to read these options in full.

Do you support the proposed options for implementing design and development guidelines?
You have 800 characters left.

Further comments

You have 800 characters left.

Document upload

By filling out the short form survey, your response will be treated as a submission.

While our preference is to receive submissions via the online short-form or long-form submission process, you may also upload documents (maximum of two documents) to support your response.

We also request that you structure your documents to reflect the themes of the consultation paper.

How we will consider your feedback

We will consider feedback that responds to the themes and proposed options included in the consultation paper.

We will not consider submissions that focus on individual property matters or property owners, or on issues that are outside the scope of this consultation process (for example, changes to the Urban Growth Boundary). You can learn more about what can and cannot be influenced through submissions in the consultation negotiables and non-negotiables.


Please limit your document size to maxiumum 10MB.

Please limit your document size to maxiumum 10MB

Do you consent to your submission being published online at the end of the engagement period? Required

To protect individual privacy, DELWP will remove all personally identifiable information (e.g. individual name, email address, postcode) from submissions before they are published on the DELWP website. Please make sure you do not include any free text that would identify you or anyone else. If you are making a submission on behalf of a group or organisation, then your comments may be published, including the name of your organisation.

Long form submission

Long-form submission

We encourage feedback in a way that suits you.

This long-form submission allows you to provide feedback on each option outlined in the consultation paper.

If you'd prefer to comment more generally on the themes of the options outlined in the consultation paper, you can use the short-form submission in the previous tab.

Please indicate if you are making this submission as an individual or on behalf of an organisation
You have 100 characters left.

We are collecting this so we can contact you should we need to clarify your submission, or to provide you with project updates if you have consented to this.

Would you like to receive project updates via email? Required

Your postcode will help us to identify any key themes emerging in particular parts of the study area. This will help inform our analysis of the feedback.

You have 4 characters left.
What is your main relationship to, or interest in the project? Required

This information will be used to analyse key themes and feedback that emerges from specific stakeholder groups.

  1. Environmental and biodiversity features (e.g. coastal areas, waterbodies, forests and grasslands) #
  2. Rural landscapes and open space (e.g. views of farmland, geological features, ranges, hills and coastlines) #
  3. Water supply and facilities (e.g. healthy water catchments, groundwater and waterways, and the provision of water storage and treatment facilities) #
  4. Agriculture (e.g. growing food for Victorians) #
  5. Recreation opportunities (e.g. state and national parks, cycling and walking trails, boating, and equestrian facilities and trails) #
  6. Tourism (e.g. day trips and holidays to enjoy attractions, accommodation, and dining) #
  7. Cultural heritage (e.g. Aboriginal and post-European settlement heritage features like buildings, trees, scattered relics and archaeological sites) #
  8. State-significant infrastructure (e.g. landfills, airports, and renewable energy sources) #
  9. Providing sand, rock, gravel and clay to support new infrastructure (e.g. through quarries) #
  10. A strong, dynamic economy (e.g. based on agriculture, timber, transport, tourism, education, manufacturing, the service industry and commerce) #
  11. Sustainable population growth in townships and settlements (e.g. accommodating population growth and providing services while respecting existing rural character and the environment) #
  12. Rural living (e.g. allowing people to live in rural areas without negatively impacting agriculture, biodiversity and landscapes) #
  13. Transport and accessibility (e.g. servicing the green wedges and peri-urban areas with roads, rail, and public transport networks) #

Strengthening the legislative and policy framework

Legislative and policy framework for Melbourne’s green wedges (Consultation Paper section 3.1.1, pages 13 - 27)
To what degree do you support the proposed options to strengthen the legislative and policy framework for Melbourne's green wedges?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - Neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Amend the 'Planning and Environment Act 1987' to include a vision, objectives and regional policy for green wedges, and require the preparation, review and ministerial approval of Green Wedge Management Plans
Update state planning policy for Melbourne’s green wedges to clearly articulate the preferred outcomes for these areas
Review and update Planning Practice Note 31: 'Preparing a Green Wedge Management Plan' to improve the structure, form and content of Green Wedge Management Plans
Introduce regional policy directions for Melbourne’s green wedges
You have 800 characters left.
Legislative and policy framework for Melbourne’s agricultural land (Consultation Paper section 3.1.2, pages 28 - 32)
To what degree do you support the proposed options to strengthen the legislative and policy framework for Melbourne’s agricultural land?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - Neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Update the Planning Policy Framework to ensure that all agricultural land is protected
Update the Planning Policy Framework to encourage land uses that have limited or negligible reliance on soil as the basis of production, to be located in areas where soil based agriculture is likely to be constrained
Update the Planning Policy Framework to include new regional policy for Melbourne’s agricultural land
Establish 'right to farm' legislation to protect existing and lawful agricultural uses from nuisance complaints
Introduce the 'agent of change' principle into legislation to assign responsibility for mitigating impacts of lawful agricultural operations (e.g. dust, noise and odour) to the person or organisation who introduces a new use or development
Update the Planning Policy Framework to encourage appropriate siting, design and scale of sensitive uses and developments to avoid conflicts with agricultural uses
You have 800 characters left.

Supporting agricultural land use

Managing subdivision and dwelling development in agricultural areas (Consultation Paper section 3.2.1, pages 36 - 40)
To what degree do you support the proposed options for managing subdivision and dwelling development in agricultural areas?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Amend the 'Planning and Environment Act 1987' to require parliamentary ratification of proposals to subdivide land into more lots or smaller lots than currently provided for in the planning scheme in rural zones within 100km of Melbourne
Amend the subdivision provisions of the Farming Zone and Rural Activity Zone within 100km of Melbourne to prohibit the creation of a lot for an existing dwelling smaller than the minimum lot size.
Amend the Farming Zone and Rural Activity Zone to make all dwellings within 100km of Melbourne a Section 2 (Permit Required) use.
Introducing decision guidelines and application requirements for new dwellings in the Green Wedge Zone and Green Wedge A Zone.
You have 800 characters left.
Improving decision-making on agricultural land (Consultation Paper section 3.2.2, page 41)
To what degree do you support the proposed options for improving decision-making on agricultural land?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Develop a practice note to guide council decision-making on planning permits in agricultural areas
Establish an agricultural referral or expert advisory service to support decision-makers and facilitate compliance with the planning scheme
You have 800 characters left.
Future proofing Melbourne's foodbowl (Consultation Paper section 3.2.3, pages 42 - 47)
To what degree do you support the proposed options for future proofing Melbourne's foodbowl?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Develop a new regional policy to preserve opportunities for irrigated agriculture
Introduce a new overlay designed to protect food-producing areas with access to secure water supply and irrigation infrastructure
Establish a process to determine where the new overlay should be applied
You have 800 characters left.
Strengthening referral and notice requirements (Consultation Paper section 3.2.4, pages 47 - 48)
To what degree do you support the proposed option for strengthening referral and notice requirements?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Ensure water authorities have a clear role in the decision-making process for applications to use or develop land in protected irrigation districts or in non-urban areas identified as having potential for access to alternative water in the future.
You have 800 characters left.
Supporting agricultural diversification, value-adding and innovation (Consultation Paper section 3.2.5, pages 49 - 50)
To what degree do you support the proposed options for supporting agricultural diversification, value-adding and innovation?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Update the definition of 'Primary produce sales' to support farm gate sales
Amend the definition of ‘Host farm’ to require a direct link to an ‘operating agricultural property’
Make 'Host farm' a Section 1 (as-of-right) use in specified zones, providing it is undertaken in conjunction with agriculture and accommodates no more than 10 people at any one time
If the Host farm is within 100 km of Melbourne, the use must be in conjunction with Agriculture, Natural systems, Outdoor recreation facility, Rural industry or Winery
You have 800 characters left.

Managing use of green wedge and peri-urban land

Managing the urban-rural interface (Consultation Paper section 3.3.1, pages 51 - 52)
To what degree do you support the proposed options for managing the urban-rural interface?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Provide planning practice guidance on how to consider and direct planning in urban–rural interface areas
Provide guidance on preferred transitional land uses for land at the urban–rural interface and provide urban design/buffer guidance for transitional locations
Introduce conditions in land use zones for particular uses, such as public open space or uses serving urban populations (e.g. schools, places of worship and infrastructure), to be located in transitional locations only
Introduce the ability to apply other rural zones more suited to the roles and land conditions of particular locations
You have 800 characters left.
Managing discretionary uses (Consultation Paper section 3.3.3, pages 54 - 60)
To what degree do you support the proposed options for managing discretionary uses?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Require that Educational facilities (primary and secondary schools) be located adjacent to the Urban Growth Boundary, adjoin or have access to a road, and not be located in high bushfire risk areas
Require that Places of worship be located adjacent to the Urban Growth Boundary, adjoin or have access to a road, and not be located in high bushfire risk areas
Redefine 'Halls' to differentiate commercial uses from those that provide community support services, and require that Halls be located adjacent to the Urban Growth Boundary, adjoin or have access to a road, and not be located in high bushfire risk areas
Restrict the number of patrons for Exhibition centres to a maximum total of 150 at any one time, and prohibit Exhibition centres in areas of high bushfire risk
Amend the Rural Conservation Zone to insert conditions of use (i.e. minimum lot size requirements, number of bedrooms, in conjunction with test) for 'Group accommodation' and 'Residential hotels' consistent with conditions in the green wedge zones
Ensure new categories of camping and caravan parks are reflected in the planning scheme, and permit camping and caravan parks in certain zones only when they fall within 'bush/primitive' or 'tourist' categories
Prohibit Data centres in the Green Wedge Zone, Green Wedge A Zone and Rural Conservation Zone
Amend the Green Wedge Zone, Green Wedge A Zone and Rural Conservation Zone to require Data centres to be located adjacent to residential, commercial or industrial zoned land
You have 800 characters left.

Improving the design of development in green wedges

Implementing design and development guidelines (Consultation Paper section 4.1, pages 62 - 71)
To what degree do you support the proposed options for implementing design and development guidelines?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Neutral - neither support or oppose
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Introduction of a new planning practice note to assist responsible authorities to assess development proposals on green wedge land
Adjust the decision guidelines and introduce application requirements for development applications in Green Wedge zones
Update the form and structure of Green Wedge Management Plans to require new or updated Green Wedge Management Plans to identify landscape typologies and detailed design guidelines
Introduce a new particular provision that contains design guidelines and standards for development in green wedge areas
Amend the schedule to Green Wedge zones to allow site coverage, setbacks and building heights to be mandated for developments associated with discretionary uses
You have 800 characters left.

Further comments

You have 800 characters left.

Document upload

By filling out the short form survey, your response will be treated as a submission.

While our preference is to receive submissions via the survey, you may also upload documents (maximum of two documents) to support your response.

We also request that you structure your documents to reflect the themes of the consultation paper.

How we will consider your feedback

We will consider feedback that responds to the themes and proposed options included in the consultation paper.

We will not consider submissions that focus on individual property matters or property owners, or on issues that are outside the scope of this consultation process (for example, changes to the Urban Growth Boundary). You can learn more about what can and cannot be influenced through submissions in the consultation negotiables and non-negotiables.

Please limit your document size to maxiumum 10MB.

Please limit your document size to maxiumum 10MB.

Do you consent to your submission being published online at the end of the engagement period? Required

To protect individual privacy, DELWP will remove all personally identifiable information (e.g. individual name, email address, postcode) from submissions before they are published on the DELWP website. Please make sure you do not include any free text that would identify you or anyone else. If you are making a submission on behalf of a group or organisation, then your comments may be published, including the name of your organisation.