Romsey Structure Plan

The Romsey Structure Plan was adopted at the 22 May 2024 Scheduled Council Meeting.

The resolution of Council was:

That Council:  

1. Adopts the Romsey Structure Plan - May 2024 included as Attachment 2 to item PE.2, subject to the following changes:

• (a) The inclusion of a minimum setback of residential lots from the eastern boundary of 2131 Romsey Road, Romsey of 30 meters to ensure an appropriate interface is achieved to the adjoining rural land.
• (b) Any consequential changes to the structure plan that results from the change listed above.

2. Writes to the Minister for Planning to request that an amendment be prepared under section 46AZA(1) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to amend the Macedon Ranges Statement of Planning Policy, 2019, to insert a protected settlement boundary for Romsey and any consequential amendment to the Macedon Ranges Planning scheme in order to insert this protected settlement boundary.

3. Requests the Minister for Planning undertake community consultation to inform a decision on Recommendation Two.

4. Notifies all submitters regarding this resolution and thank them for their feedback and participation.

Download the adopted version of the Romsey Structure Plan(PDF, 22MB) with the changes outlined in the Council Meeting resolution (as above). 

In line with the resolution above, a request to the Minister for Planning to amend the Statement of Planning Policy to insert a protected settlement boundary for Romsey has been made. Council is awaiting a response from the Minister for Planning to guide the next steps. 

There will also be future planning scheme amendments to action the strategies and objectives into the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme. The community and stakeholders will be invited to provide feedback on future planning processes. 

Council will continue to work with service providers and the State Government to support the future growth of Romsey.

We would like to thank submitters for their feedback to the various stages of consultation and participation during the past six years leading to the finalisation of the Romsey Structure Plan project.       

Following last year's consultation process, we are continuing to review all submissions and considering how the plan may change in response to community and stakeholder feedback.

Further project updates on the outcomes of this review will be provided by mid-2024.

There have been no decisions on the draft Romsey Structure Plan since the consultation process, and submitters will be informed of when Council will make a decision on the Romsey Structure Plan.

We continue to work with service providers, authorities and state government departments in relation to matters raised during consultation.

We look forward to sharing a community update in mid-2024 and assure you that your input remains integral to shaping the Romsey Structure Plan.

• EPA and Greater Western Water Submissions 2023(PDF, 2MB)

The draft Romsey Structure Plan consultation provided an opportunity for community members and stakeholders to influence the plan and how the area will develop.

Submissions closed at 5pm on Monday 25 September 2023.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the drop-in sessions, workshop and provided feedback via the survey and/or made a submission.

Draft Plan and supporting documents

• Draft Romsey Structure Plan (June 2023)(PDF, 12MB)
• Appendix 2 – Neighbourhood Character Guidelines and New Residential Areas Subdivision Requirements (June 2023)(PDF, 3MB)
• Romsey Structure Plan – Investigation Areas Report (February 2023)(PDF, 7MB)
• Romsey Structure Plan – Romsey Community Infrastructure Assessment (June 2023)(PDF, 2MB)
• Transport Issues and Opportunities Memo – Movement and Place (December 2022)(PDF, 833KB)

Background documents

Previous documents have been prepared as part of the previous Romsey Emerging Options Paper work and have been provided below. These documents have been provided below for ease of accessibility and assist in providing context to how the draft Romsey Structure Plan was developed.

Emerging Options Paper

• Draft Emerging Options Paper(PDF, 7MB)
• Emerging Options Paper Consultation Summary Report(PDF, 2MB)

Background documents

• Bushfire Assessment Report(PDF, 5MB) – Obliqua Pty Ltd – September 2021
• Economic Assessment(PDF, 2MB) – Tim Nott – November 2021
• Sustainability Background Report – Hip V. Hype – September 2021(PDF, 1MB)
• Transport Issues and Opportunities review(PDF, 305KB) – Movement and Place Consulting – September 2021
• Utilities and Services review(PDF, 495KB) – Cardno – January 2022
• Department of Education and Early Childhood Development - School provision plan for the Romsey area 2013
• Department of Education and Early Childhood Development - Romsey School Regeneration Project Community Engagement Summary Report 2019
• Department of Education and Early Childhood Development - Romsey Education Review - Key Findings
• Romsey Issues and Opportunities Paper - October 2018(PDF, 14MB)
• Romsey Issues and Opportunities Paper - Consultation Report - October 2018(PDF, 1MB)
• Residential land demand and supply analysis(PDF, 7MB)

Council Infrastructure documents

• Footpath Plan
• Financial Plan 2021-2031

A report is going to Council for consideration at the Scheduled Council Meeting on Wednesday 26 July 2023.

This report recommends endorsement of the draft Romsey Structure Plan for community consultation.

The draft Romsey Structure Plan document represents a project milestone which began back in 2018 and incorporates the invaluable feedback received through the community consultation processes associated with the Romsey Issues and Opportunities Paper (2019) and Romsey Structure Plan Emerging Options Paper (2021).

The Council report and draft Romsey Structure Plan are now available.

Whilst Council Meetings are open to the public, there is limited seating available. You can watch the Council Meeting via the livestream. The meeting will be recorded and streamed live on the internet in accordance with Council's Live Streaming and Publishing Recording of Meetings Protocol. The recording will be made available on Council's website within 48 hours after the meeting.

To find out more about how meetings are conducted, how you can watch them and public question time, visit About Council Meetings.

Development Plan application at 2598 Melbourne-Lancefield Road (DP/2022/4)

The review by the applicant at the Victoria Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) regarding the Development Plan application for the Romsey South Business Park at 2598 Melbourne-Lancefield Road has been withdrawn and no hearing will occur in relation to this matter. Council is expecting to hear further from the applicant about how they wish to proceed with the development plan application following the release of the draft Romsey Structure Plan for consultation.

Supreme Court action against Council

This matter is still before the court. While the matter is before the court, it is not appropriate to provide a running commentary on the case.

Whilst we are a little behind schedule, work has progressed on the Romsey Structure Plan Project to move towards the next stage of the project – the draft structure plan.

Work by Plan 2 Place has included a review of feedback from past community consultations, liaising with external stakeholders and additional technical work.

At this stage, a date has not been set on the next round of community consultation, but is expected to occur later this year. Council will continue to provide updates on the progress.   

2021 Census update

The 2021 census data has been released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and a summary of this snapshot(PDF, 1MB) has been prepared by Plan 2 Place for the Romsey Township.

Further census data can be found at Population profile and more regional specific information on the Macedon Ranges Shire community profile on the .Id Community.

Development Plan application at 2598 Melbourne-Lancefield Road (DP/2022/4)

An application for the approval of a development plan was lodged with Council for land at 2598 Melbourne-Lancefield Road, Romsey (corner Greens Lane). The application was lodged on 17 August 2022.

The subject land was rezoned Commercial 2 Zone and Industrial 1 Zone in October 2012 as part of Amendment C066 which implemented the 2009 Romsey Outline Development Plan. The Development Plan Overlay Schedule 13 – Romsey South Business/Industrial Park was also placed on the land at this time. Council must consider any application lodged. In the case of this development plan application, officers had been in discussions with the applicant about how to progress this application in light of the Romsey Structure Plan process.

The Development Plan shows capacity for:

• a site for a fuel station
• a site for a swim school
• a site for trade supplies
• a number of restricted retail sites (such as large format furniture and electrical retail, equestrian supplies and party supplies)
• a number of tourism/hospitality sites.

Recently the applicant decided to lodge a review with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) against Council’s failure to make a decision within a reasonable time, which is 28 days from lodgement.

A practice day hearing has been set for 21 April 2023 and at this stage a fast track hearing scheduled in July 2023.

Council has now requested further information from the applicant.

Supreme Court Action against Council

A landowner has initiated proceedings in the Supreme Court against Council, claiming that the Council has made legal errors in the way that it is dealing with the review of the Romsey Structure Plan. Council does not agree that it has made any errors and are confident that we have not. While the matter is before the court, it is not be appropriate to give a running commentary on the case and it is at an early stage still.

At the Scheduled Council Meeting on Wednesday 28 September 2022, the Romsey Emerging Options Paper Consultation Summary Report was considered by Council. This report includes a summary of key themes, submissions, officer response and further actions to progress work on the draft of the Romsey Structure Plan.

At the meeting it was resolved that Council:

1. Endorses the Romsey Emerging Options Paper Consultation Summary Report and contained actions to continue work on the draft Romsey Structure Plan;
2. Notifies submitters and project subscribers of Council’s decision; and
3. Continues quarterly project updates to submitters and project subscribers.

The Agenda and Minutes are available to view for the 28 September 2022 Scheduled Council Meeting.

The Romsey Emerging Options Paper Consultation Summary Report(PDF, 2MB) is now available.

Council officers along with the project team have started to progress the actions listed in the Emerging Options Paper Consultation Summary Report that will inform the development of the draft Structure Plan. Further updates will be issued as this work progresses.

A report is going to Council for consideration at the Scheduled Council Meeting on Wednesday 28 September 2022.

This report requests endorsement of the Romsey Emerging Options Paper Consultation Summary Report that addresses themes raised during the 2022 Emerging Options Paper community consultation process, officer responses to these and the actions for further work that will inform the development of the draft Romsey Structure Plan.

Council is seeking to complete this additional work and to enable the next phase of community consultation on the draft Romsey Structure Plan which is expected in early 2023.

Following community consultation on the draft Structure Plan, Council will consider the adoption of the Romsey Structure Plan and the preparation of a planning scheme amendment to implement the Romsey Structure Plan.

The Romsey Emerging Options Paper Community Consultation Summary Report is now available to view as an attachment to the agenda.

Whilst Council Meetings are now back open to the public, there remains limited public seating in the public gallery to meet social distancing guidelines.

Members of the public are encouraged to view the Council Meeting via the livestream. The Council Meeting will be recorded and streamed live on the internet in accordance with Council's Live Streaming and Publishing Recording of Meetings Protocol. The recording will be made available on Council's website within 48 hours after the meeting.

Members of the public may ask a question about any Council matter during public question time. These are endeavoured to be answered during the Council Meeting. If you wish to submit a question to Council regarding the Romsey Structure Plan process or any other matter, you must do so by 5pm on Tuesday 27 September 2022.

If you would like to be notified of the outcome, please register for updates.

Council completed community consultation on the Romsey Emerging Options Paper in 2022.

Participants in community consultation activities run between February and April delivered valuable feedback in person and from surveys and submissions to help to shape the draft Romsey Structure Plan.

On 8 March 2022, we held an online webinar with a Q and A session with over 70 people in attendance.

Many questions were raised with Council and its consultants during the session. We have created a frequently asked questions document to answer your questions from this session.

• Frequently asked questions at the webinar(DOCX, 1MB)
• Frequently asked questions at the webinar(PDF, 868KB)

Council wishes to thank all residents, businesses and landowners for your genuine interest and involvement in the project.  

The project team has now reviewed all submissions and survey results received.

Council received 58 submissions to the project, along with 417 survey responses in both hard copy and online form.

Minutes from the community-led meeting attended by Council representatives have also been included as a submission. This is all vital feedback for the project team.

Submissions have highlighted the key themes that the community has raised. Council officers are now in the process of preparing a Romsey Emerging Options Paper Consultation Report.

Redacted copies of surveys and submissions are available to the public.

View the submissions(PDF, 121MB)

View the survey results(PDF, 21MB)