An Urban Design Framework (UDF) is a planning document that sets out a design vision for an area and guides land use and development.

A UDF provides guidance on land use, movement and access, public realm, and landscape design, built form, interfaces, and sustainability measures to ensure any future development responds appropriately to the local environment and is well designed.

It achieves this via objectives, requirements, and guidelines that future planning applications need to adhere to. The Aintree Major Town Centre UDF must accord with the Rockbank North Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) which contains high-level guidance regarding the type and location of land uses.

The boundary of the Aintree Major Town Centre is defined by the Rockbank North Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), being the area bounded by Leakes Road in the west, Kororoit Creek corridor in the north, existing Woodlea residential development in the east and south.

Location of MTC UDF

Land within the Aintree Major Town Centre is subject to the Urban Growth Zone – Schedule 4 in the Melton Planning Scheme. This zone requires a UDF to be developed and states:

• Except with the consent of the Responsible Authority, a permit must not be granted to use or subdivide land or construct a building and carry out works on land shown as the Rockbank North (Aintree) Major Town Centre until an urban design framework for the centre has been prepared to the satisfaction of the Responsible Authority.
• An Urban Design Framework approved under this schedule must be generally in accordance with the precinct structure plan applying to the land.

The Aintree Major Town Centre will include approximately 50 hectares of retail, commercial and community facilities that will provide local residents within Aintree and surrounding suburbs with local employment opportunities and easy access to a range of facilities and services.

The major town centre will include high density housing options which will provide residents in Aintree with a choice of housing sizes and types. It is noted that the Rockbank North PSP identifies high density residential development must be delivered within the major town centre.

The Background Report and associated technical reports completed stakeholder consultation earlier this year and are now finalised. The Background Report has provided input into the development of the Aintree MTC draft Urban Design Framework document.

The draft Urban Design Framework document will be open for public consultation for 4 weeks in October 2023. During this period submissions on the document can be received, with more details on how to put in a submission below.

Once the consultation period concludes, the feedback received will be considered by Council officers and any subsequent revisions made to the plan. The plan will then be presented at a future Ordinary meeting of Council, seeking adoption.

Development of the Major Town Centre is reliant on private landowners choosing to develop their land. Council has no land holdings within the Major Town Centre and therefore cannot influence timing of development.

The completion of the UDF will assist and guide Council’s decision making when receiving planning applications for development. It is expected that development of the Major Town Centre will occur in stages across a number of years.

Yes, anyone may put in a submission. It is important to note that some aspects of the UDF are pre-determined by the PSP and cannot be changed, such as the size and boundary of the Major Town Centre and any proposed land uses. The UDF cannot specify that certain businesses or shops will become tenants within the future major town centre.

However, we’d like your views on other important aspects of the document such as the draft urban design principles, guidelines/requirements relating to aspects including (but not limited to) land use, movement and access, public realm, and landscape design, built form, interfaces etc.

The public consultation period will occur over 4 weeks from 16 October - 13 November. During this period anyone can make a submission to citystrategy@melton.vic.gov.au

Once the consultation period closes, a Consultation Report will be provided by Council summarising any submissions made to the document.

For more information, please call our City Strategy Team on 9747 5496 or email us at citystrategy@melton.vic.gov.au