About the Pakenham South Employment Precinct Structure Plan

Rapid population growth in the south east of Melbourne has generated the need for additional local job opportunities for residents of Cardinia as well as neighbouring municipalities.

The Pakenham South Employment Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) facilitates 185 hectares of employment land located within a State significant industrial precinct to provide job opportunities. It sets the vision for the land ensuring a high standard of urban design and amenity with a local convenience centre, access to public transport and local parks with a shared path network.

Further information about the State significant industrial precinct can be found at VPA’s South East Economic Corridor Strategic Context Report to 2060 page.

About Amendment C265

Amendment C265 incorporates the Pakenham South Employment Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) into the Cardinia Planning Scheme and implements the PSP by rezoning land for industrial uses.

The proposed industrial employment precinct will:

  • provide approximately 185 hectares of industrial land adjacent to employment land that is rapidly nearing completion;
  • allow for the creation of approximately 3,500 additional jobs for the local community; and
  • provide an employment precinct of high amenity and the opportunity for local residents to work within close proximity to home, reducing commute times.

Amendment C265 proposes to:

  • Insert Schedule 6 to the Urban Growth Zone and apply to all the land.
  • Incorporate the Pakenham South Employment Precinct Structure Plan into the Cardinia Planning Scheme.
  • Apply a Heritage Overlay (HO14) for the heritage building and trees at 'Windarra' 40 Greenhills Road, Pakenham.
  • Delete the Heritage Overlay (HO42) from 'ITU Milking Shed' 100 Greenhills Road, Pakenham as it is no longer considered to be of local heritage significance.
  • Apply a Public Acquisition Overlay (PAO7) and Incorporated Plan Overlay (IPO2) over the wetland located south of the precinct.
  • Include additional native vegetation provisions due to no vegetation having been identified to be retained in the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy.
  • Introduce referral requirements to South East Water for planning permits within the Pakenham Water Recycling Plant buffer.

The land is located directly south of the industrial South East Business Park and south west of the Livestock Exchange.

The precinct is bound by:

  • Greenhills Road to the north
  • Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road to the east
  • Green Wedge land to the south, and
  • McGregor Road to the west

At the Council meeting on 16 March 2020, Council resolved to seek authorisation to prepare Amendment C265.

Amendment C265 was on exhibition from 15 October 2020 to 26 November 2020.

Submissions for Amendment C265 closed at 5pm on Thursday 26 November 2020.

At the Council meeting on 15 February 2021, Council resolved to refer the submissions to an independent Planning Panel for consideration.

A Planning Panel Hearing was held online via video conference on 12 and 13 April 2021.

The Amendment C265 Panel Report was finalised on 12 May 2021.

Thirteen submissions were received with three opposing the Amendment. The key issue raised in the submissions was the premature release of employment land.

The Panel concluded that:

  • The PSP is strategically justified and well supported in State and local policy; and
  • The approval of the PSP is not premature but will result in the availability of significant zoned and development ready industrial land in the Cardinia Shire to accommodate future job provision.

At the Council Meeting on 19 July 2021, Council resolved to adopt Amendment C265.

Amendment C265 is awaiting approval by the Minister for Planning.