Current Status

A Development Plan is being prepared for the land zoned Low Density Residential in Irymple to ensure that this area develops in a coordinated and orderly way. The Development Plan will be a blueprint to guide the design of future subdivision, ensuring that subdivision makes provision for well-connected roads and pedestrian access, open space and drainage whilst preserving important chaacteristics. The study area includes over 100 properties so to ensure lots do not develop independently of each other the Development Plan will be designed to be well integrated.


Seeking public comment on the Draft Issues and Opportunities Paper

Planning consultant Taylors has been commissioned to prepare the Development Plan in collaboration with Mildura Rural City Council. A draft Issues and Opportunities Paper is now ready for public comment. This Paper is the first step in preparing the Development Plan. It provides an analysis of the key issues that need to be addressed through the design of the Development Plan.

We are looking for your feedback on the Paper’s findings, sharing your local knowledge and letting us know if we have accurately captured issues, areas of concerns and opportunities for this area of Irymple. This will help us better respond to known issues or opportunities we have not yet considered. Your feedback will be also used in developing emerging directions for the Development Plan which is the next stage of this project.

The Paper has been developed in accordance with five broad themes:

The zone restricts the subdivision of residential lots to a minimum area of 4,000 square metres (0.4 hectares). Amendment C89 (Mildura Housing and Settlement Strategy) implemented this minimum lot size to preserve a clear character transition between the township of Irymple and the urban area of Mildura city. The scope in preparing this Development Plan does not include changing to the minimum subdivision size. The Development Plan is next step in the continuation of implementing the Mildura Housing and Settlement Strategy.

The post-settlement history of the area as an irrigation farming district has resulted in a distinct pattern of built form. This consists of single detached dwellings amongst clusters of established vegetation dotted across the farming landscape. Another characteristic of the area is that dwellings are often situated on small, excised lots and most are located close to the street frontage (i.e. with relative shallow front setbacks of less than 20 metres). Planned low density residential development provides the opportunity for vegetation and landscape values to be visually dominant offering a considerable contrast with the more built-up adjoining urban areas.

The lack of adequate outfall drainage infrastructure could require significant augmentation works or new head works to manage an outfall. Alternative ways to manage the stormwater locally within the site can be explored in the interest of a more cost-effective and sustainable drainage design outcome. Several drainage options will be open to consideration for the Development Plan.

The location of the study area within the urban transition area (land between the urban areas of Irymple and Mildura) and the current farming use of the land means that access to public open space is limited. A large active open space area (9ha) centred around Henshilwood Reserve is approximately 1.2 kilometres to the east of the study area. This is a reasonable walking distance to active open space from a low-density residential area and could be linked by direct street and path connections.

Low density residential areas with large lots often lack basic infrastructure to support walking. There are several such examples within Mildura and the practice is common State-wide. This outcome tends to be the product of presumptions that car transport will be dominant and that low traffic volumes make walking on roads possible. The development plan will provide the opportunity to establish more appropriate contemporary standards for pedestrian access in a low-density residential setting.

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Background

The Mildura Housing and Settlement Strategy 2013 recommended rezoning this land to Low Density Residential Zone Schedule 2 and was implemented by Amendment C89 in 2016 together with the application of Development Plan Overlay Schedule 4. This established the requirement to prepare a development plan before a planning permit application for subdivision can be considered. The layout of a proposed subdivision will be required to be consistent with the approved development plan.

Study Area

Irymple is located approximately 5km south-east of Mildura along the Calder Highway. It is an area that has experienced recent population growth. The Development Plan to be prepared covers approximately 115 properties south of Fifteenth Street generally between Benetook and Sandilong Avenues.

The study area forms part of the Mildura-Irymple Urban Transition Area. The purpose of the transition area it to protect a sense of physical separation and openness between the study area and the urban township. The Low Density Residential Zones ensures future development provides a clear distinction in the residential character whilst offering a variety of larger lot sizes close to Mildura.

Development Plan

At completion, the development plan will identify:

  • A clear road hierarchy including road widths, design, layout and road reserve treatments
  • A means of draining and servicing the land
  • Suitable interfaces to schools and areas of public open space
  • Pedestrian linkages to Irymple Primary School and Irymple Secondary School and to Fifteenth Street and the Irymple town centre
  • How to integrate the Low Density Residential land with the General Residential Zone to the south-east
  • Greenways or other linear open spaces to provide opportunities for incidental exercise and social interaction
  • Existing trees to be retained and an appropriate landscaping theme for nature strips and public open space, including the use of salt tolerant plants where relevant
  • Public realm treatments and interfaces which reflect the low-density residential nature of the area