A structure plan is a long-term plan for an Activity Centre to guide Council decisions about future development on both private and public property.

The structure plan will be designed to implement key policies and objectives for Frankston Metropolitan Activity Centre in State and Local Planning Policy. It also guides the assessment of planning permit applications and amendments to the Frankston Planning Scheme.

The Frankston Metropolitan Activity Centre (FMAC) is a higher-order centre intended to provide a diverse range of jobs, activities and housing for regional catchments that are well served by public transport. The FMAC will play a major service delivery role, including government, health, justice and education services, as well as retail and commercial opportunities.

Melbourne’s population is expected to grow from current population levels of 4.6 million to almost 10 million by 2051. To ensure this growth is sustainable, the majority of this population is to be housed in Melbourne’s established suburbs, in ‘activity centres’ with good access to jobs, services and public transport.

For Frankston, this means the municipality’s population will grow by an estimated 17,600 from 2021 to 2041. This translates to approximately 3000 new residents and an additional 2,800 jobs in the FMAC during that time.

As development is expected to occur in this precinct, implementing a Structure Plan will enable Council to introduce planning controls that better reflect the local context of the area and to identify what infrastructure is required to support the population. Without a Structure Plan residents will have limited ability to influence or challenge how development occurs in the future.

The Structure Plan is your opportunity to influence what type of development is allowed in the area and also what changes and improvements are needed to ensure Frankston continues to be a great place to live, work and play.

These are higher-order centres intended to provide a diverse range of jobs, activities and housing for regional catchments that are well served by public transport. These centres are expected to play a major service delivery role, including government, health, justice and education services, as well as retail and commercial opportunities. Frankston is designated as a Metropolitan Activity Centre along with Box Hill, Broadmeadows, Dandenong, Epping, Footscray, Fountain Gate-Narre Warren, Ringwood and Sunshine.

You have been given notice of the amendment as you may be affected by, or have an interest in the proposed changes. You may own property or live nearby or be planning on developing property in the affected areas.

The documents provided to you are for your information and you do not have to do anything further if you do not wish to do so.

The Frankston Planning Scheme sets out how land is protected and how it can be used and developed in the Frankston municipality. Each local government area in Victoria has a planning scheme to guide different types of uses and development of land. Each planning scheme will consist of maps to show different zones and overlays and also contains written requirements to describe the zones and overlays, with policies to guide Council’s decision making.

Changes to the planning scheme are called amendments and the process is set out in the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

Planning schemes require changes from time to time to achieve certain planning outcomes, support new policies, and to ensure that requirements continue to meet the needs of the local community

As a State Government designated Metropolitan Activity Centre, Frankston is set to change significantly. Over the past two years, Council has developed the Frankston Metropolitan Activity Centre Structure Plan (the FMAC Structure Plan). This has included two rounds of extensive community engagement.

The amendment is required to rezone the land within the FMAC to the Activity Centre Zone to introduce new land use and built form controls including discretionary building heights (between 3 and 16 storeys) and setback controls.

It is also required to apply the Public Acquisition Overlay to part of 510 Nepean Highway, Frankston and to part of 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 Davey Street, Frankston.

All submissions received are public documents and Council is obliged by the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to consider all submissions as part of the amendment process and make all submissions publically available for inspection at its offices.

If concerns cannot be resolved by making changes to the amendment, Council may refer unresolved submissions to an independent planning panel for review.

A planning panel is appointed by the Victorian Government Minister for Planning and may hold a public hearing where all submitters can present their issues and be heard.

It will have one or more members depending on the issues involved.

For more information on the planning panel process please go to: https://www.planningpanels.vic.gov.au/guides-and-resources/what-is-a-planning-panel

Each submitter will receive a letter that explains the process, invites them to participate in the hearing and provides indicative dates for the hearing.

The panel will conduct a hearing where those wishing to speak can be heard and at the conclusion of the hearing, the panel will review all of the submissions and information presented at the hearing and prepare a report. This panel report provides advice and recommendations about the amendment.

Amendment documents and more information can be found on Councils
website at:

https://www.frankston.vic.gov.au/Planning-and-Building/Strategic-and-Heritage-Planning/Planning-Scheme-amendments

More information about the planning scheme amendment process can be found on the Department of Transport and Planning website at: https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/planning-schemes/amendments/amending-a-planning-scheme

You can also contact Council’s Strategic Planning Team on 1300 322 322 to discuss over the phone or arrange a meeting to answer any questions that you may have.