title: Macedon Ranges Shire Planning Relationships council: macedon-ranges state: vic category: relationships classification: MAJOR status: active last_compiled: 2026-05-31 source_docs:
- macedon-ranges-statement-planning-policy.pdf
- gisborne-futures-structure-plan-adopted-july-2024-v11.pdf
- romsey-structure-plan-final.pdf
- Amess Road Precinct Structure Plan (Echelon Planning, May 2025).pdf
- Amess Road Development Contributions Plan (Echelon Planning, May 2025).pdf
Cause-and-effect chains
State growth target to settlement boundaries to structure plans
The State housing target creates the numerical pressure: Council has asked how 13,200 additional dwellings by 2051 will be measured, counted and matched with infrastructure. (Source: 25-february-2026-council-meeting-minutes-confirmed.pdf, pp.16-17) That target then runs into Macedon Ranges Protected Settlement Boundary under the Statement of Planning Policy, because the Statement of Planning Policy converts landscape and settlement policy into protected township growth boundaries. (Source: macedon-ranges-statement-planning-policy.pdf, p.32)
The practical chain is Macedon Ranges Housing Target of 13,200 Additional Dwellings by 2051 to Macedon Ranges Protected Settlement Boundary under the Statement of Planning Policy to Gisborne Futures Structure Plan and Romsey Structure Plan. Gisborne Futures is adopted but still depends on protected settlement boundary resolution before full planning scheme implementation can proceed. (Source: gisborne-futures-structure-plan-adopted-july-2024-v11.pdf, p.100; Source: final-agenda-attachments-council-meeting-22-october-2025-reduced.pdf, p.639) Romsey has an adopted structure plan, but rezoning, overlay changes and contribution framework updates remain downstream implementation tasks. (Source: romsey-structure-plan-final.pdf, pp.56-58; Source: final-agenda-attachments-council-meeting-22-october-2025-reduced.pdf, p.604)
Structure plans to DCPs to infrastructure delivery
Gisborne Development Plan and Development Contributions Plan shows the cost-recovery mechanism for growth: new residential, commercial and industrial development is charged according to projected use of 18 infrastructure projects across 15 charging areas. (Source: gisborne-development-contributions-plan-final-report-april-2013.pdf, pp.7-18) That means Gisborne Futures Structure Plan cannot be read only as a land-use map; implementation depends on whether DCP, open-space, drainage, roads and servicing mechanisms keep pace with township growth. (Source: gisborne-futures-structure-plan-adopted-july-2024-v11.pdf, pp.28-33; Source: gisborne-development-contributions-plan-final-report-april-2013.pdf, pp.4,16)
Romsey Structure Plan feeds Romsey Development Plan and Development Contributions Plan in the same way, but with a timing mismatch. The 2012 Romsey DCP was calibrated to a 2027 horizon, while the newer structure-plan process is intended to guide growth to 2050. (Source: romsey-development-contributions-plan-july-2012.pdf, p.10; Source: web-research-L0-romsey-dcp-and-structure-plan-project-page-307ba88394.txt) The effect is that Romsey has a legacy contribution mechanism for earlier growth fronts, but not yet a complete funding framework for the next structure-plan horizon. (Source: romsey-development-contributions-plan-july-2012.pdf, p.10)
PSP approval to DCP to subdivision staging
Amess Road, Riddells Creek Precinct Structure Plan and Amendment C161macr is the clearest completed cause-and-effect package. The PSP converts about 131 hectares into a residential growth framework for roughly 1,360 dwellings and about 3,808 residents. (Source: Amess Road Precinct Structure Plan (Echelon Planning, May 2025).pdf, p.20) The DCP then turns that land-use framework into a $31.39 million infrastructure program, so subdivision staging is tied to shared infrastructure funding rather than only lot-by-lot permit conditions. (Source: Amess Road Development Contributions Plan (Echelon Planning, May 2025).pdf, p.4)
The chain is Amess Road, Riddells Creek Precinct Structure Plan and Amendment C161macr to DCP levy and infrastructure schedule to drainage, transport, open space, vegetation and Stage 1 subdivision pathways. (Source: Amess Road Precinct Structure Plan (Echelon Planning, May 2025).pdf, p.20; Source: Amess Road Development Contributions Plan (Echelon Planning, May 2025).pdf, p.4)
Water and sewer servicing to feasible lot creation
Greater Western Water Servicing Coordination for Growth and Development Areas is an enabling layer across several initiatives. Council records that water supply is not managed by Council and is instead a water corporation responsibility, while GWW services Lancefield, Romsey, Riddells Creek, Gisborne, Clarkefield, Macedon, Bullengarook and Woodend. (Source: Macedon Ranges water use and catchment areas) The planning effect is that adopted structure plans and approved PSPs still depend on water, sewer, easement, development-deed and statement-of-compliance processes before lots can be delivered. (Source: Greater Western Water land development page)
This creates a cross-cutting chain: Gisborne Futures Structure Plan, Romsey Structure Plan, Clarkefield Growth Area Development Facilitation Program Proposal, Lancefield Development Plan and Development Plan Overlay Schedule 24 Review and Amess Road, Riddells Creek Precinct Structure Plan and Amendment C161macr all need servicing coordination before planned growth becomes serviced settlement capacity. (Source: Macedon Ranges water use and catchment areas; Source: Greater Western Water land development page)
Employment land to Gisborne Futures to business park amendment
Gisborne Business Park Expansion Development Plan and Planning Controls is downstream of the employment-land need identified through earlier Gisborne planning. The draft development plan proposed expanding the existing Barry Road business park into about 29 hectares of adjacent rural living land for commercial and industrial use. (Source: gisborne-business-park-development-plan-draft.pdf, pp.8-9) Council then moved the work into Gisborne Futures Structure Plan implementation and was procuring consultant work in March 2026 to finalise a planning scheme amendment. (Source: 25-march-2026-scheduled-meeting-agenda.pdf, p.170; Source: 25-march-2026-scheduled-meeting-minutes.pdf, p.15)
Flood and stormwater evidence to overlays and asset planning
Stormwater and Flood Management Asset Planning supplies the asset-risk context: Council has a $96.5 million stormwater network but does not yet have structured condition assessment data. (Source: final-agenda-attachments-council-meeting-22-october-2025-reduced.pdf, p.924) Planning Scheme Amendment to Implement Kyneton, Lauriston, Tylden and Malmsbury Flood Studies is the statutory mapping response, translating updated flood studies into revised Land Subject to Inundation Overlay mapping and a new Floodway Overlay for parts of Kyneton. (Source: web-research-L0-flood-study-technical-reports-for-kyneton-lauriston-tylden-and-malmsbury-evidence-f02ba876c7.txt; Source: kyneton-flood-study-frequently-asked-questions.pdf, p.2)
Biodiversity and open space to growth-area design constraints
Macedon Ranges Biodiversity Strategy Refresh, Macedon Ranges Vegetation Protection Overlay Schedules VPO1-VPO9 and Macedon Ranges Open Space Strategy 2026 form the environmental design layer for growth. The biodiversity refresh links planning controls, native vegetation compliance, private land conservation, road management, reserve management and monitoring. (Source: Refreshed_Biodiversity_Strategy_-_2025_DRAFT.pdf, pp.64-74) The VPO framework adds local vegetation-specific, roadside, corridor and landscape-scale permit triggers beyond the statewide native vegetation provisions. (Source: 17-december-2025-scheduled-council-meeting-agenda-attachments.pdf, p.1490) The Open Space Strategy then governs how Council plans, funds, upgrades, acquires and potentially disposes of public open space across more than 900 hectares. (Source: 25-march-2026-council-meeting-agenda-attachments-updated-version.pdf, p.91)