Rural Land Use Strategy

The Rural Land Use Strategy (RLUS) seeks to update the policy direction for rural land in the Macedon Ranges Shire. This is to account for the changing nature of rural land use, and to account for a range of Council and State Government strategies and changes to regulation made since the previous 2002 Macedon Ranges Rural Land Use Strategy.

Change of direction on Rural Land Use Strategy

At a Scheduled Council Meeting on Wednesday 14 December 2022, Council voted unanimously in support of a recommendation to not progress the draft Rural Land Use Strategy, following a period of community engagement that saw 177 submissions lodged in response.

Outcome of the Scheduled Council Meeting on Wednesday 14 December 2022

At the meeting it was resolved that Council:

  1. Resolves to not progress the current Rural Land Use Strategy project.
  2. Notes the feedback received from the community on the draft Rural Land Use Strategy.
  3. Notes the significant amount of background work, research and community feedback that has been developed and captured as part of the Rural Land Use Strategy project.
  4. Notes the unresolved status of both the State Government’s Planning for Melbourne’s Green Wedge and Strategic Agricultural Land project, and bushfire considerations as a result of protecting and enhancing vegetation.
  5. Notes that any future related work would be progressed as a new project and subject to Council approval as part of any future Council Plan and/or budget process.
  6. Notifies all submitters and subscribers to the Rural Land Use Strategy project of Council’s decision.