Rural Lifestyle Land Supply and Demand Assessment

The Rural Lifestyle Land Supply and Demand Assessment was completed in 2018.

The Western Plains North Green Wedge Management Plan(PDF, 17MB)  (WPNGWMP), completed in 2014, recommended that a Supply and Demand Analysis for rural areas in relation to rural lifestyle lots be undertaken to assess the demand for these types of lots and identify existing supply or the need for additional land to meet any future demand.  

The Rural Lifestyle Land Supply and Demand Assessment was prepared by Essential Economics on behalf of Melton City Council. The assessment considered both northern and southern green wedges.

For the purposes of the assessment, ‘Rural Lifestyle’ was generally defined as land contained within the study area that is either Green Wedge Zone (GWZ), Green Wedge A Zone (GWAZ) or Low Density Residential Zone (LDRZ).   

The Rural Lifestyle Land Supply and Demand Assessment was conducted in two stages. Stage 1 examined the current supply and demand for rural lifestyle lots within the municipality and the projected level of supply required, whilst Stage 2 assessed where future potential supply of rural lifestyle lots could be located subject to further assessment.

The assessment concluded:

  • There is sufficient supply to meet future demand for 1-5 hectare lots within the Green Wedge Zone (GWZ) and Green Wedge A Zone (GWAZ).
  • There is a small shortage of approximately 50-80 hectares of Low Density Residential Zone (LDRZ) land across the municipality.
  • Four sites were nominated as potential areas to consider future supply, land north of Melton identified in the WPNGWMP, Brookfield GWAZ area, Kurunjang LDRZ area and Strathtulloh Estate.   

The report can be viewed below:

Rural Lifestyle Land Supply and Demand Assessment(PDF, 4MB)

Further assessments were subsequently undertaken to determine whether there were any  appropriate areas for Low Density Residential lots. The outcome of the assessments was that none of the areas were considered appropriate for potential rezoning at this stage, due to the following factors:

  • There is not a significant shortfall of low density development (200 lots of 15 years)
  • Existing low density areas in Melton will slowly contribute to reducing that small shortfall
  • There would be higher servicing costs to develop the land (due to distance from existing infrastructure) and would be more difficult to recoup cost over a reduced lot development yield (compared to urban areas)
  • There is minimal overall community benefit achieved if Council seeks to rezone any of the areas for rural residential development.  
  • Rezoning of any of the Green Wedge zoned areas would also need to be supported by State government, and then ratified by Parliament.  State Government’s Green Wedge Review has strengthened State policy which discourages land fragmentation or further subdivision of land in the Green Wedge, therefore rezoning was unlikely to be supported.  

It is important to note that this project does not consider changes to the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). Any changes to the UGB fall under the responsibility of the State Government. 

For more information about the Rural Lifestyle Land Supply and Demand Assessment, contact our Strategic Planning team on 9747 7200 or email: citysupport@melton.vic.gov.au.

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