“We’re unlocking space to deliver thousands of more homes – as we deliver the infrastructure these communities need,” Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny said. “The plans for Melton East … are about building connected places for more Victorians to live, work and thrive.”
The Melton East precinct is located 35km north-west of Melbourne’s CBD, to the east of the existing Melton township. The precinct encompasses an area of 1,005-hectares, bounded by Kororoit Creek to the north-east, Western Freeway to the south, Leakes Road to the east and the Melton Highway to the north-west. The precinct will complement existing surrounding development through the provision of residential and commercial opportunities.
Once it’s fully built out, the precinct is tipped to house more than 36,000 residents and support around 1,600 local jobs in a suburb featuring shopping options and four community hubs meant to keep everyday essentials close to home. It will also deliver vital infrastructure to help keep people moving including three new arterial roads, 14 intersections and five bridges, along with cycling and pedestrian links.
Some of the allocated greenspace will be conservation land, as part of the area was found to be home to the endangered Growling Grass Frog. Conservation land will be zoned Rural Conservation Zone 3 (RCZ3), and the Crown will acquire conservation land as development in the precinct occurs.
Construction will be rolled out in two stages, ensuring homes are built as infrastructure is built. The approval forms part of the Victorian Labor Government’s ten-year greenfields plan, which aims to make space for 180,000 new homes across the state over the next decade, with this particular development expected to take around 20 to 30 years.
The precinct also arrives as the surrounding area finally banks some long-promised infrastructure. The Melton line has been electrified and is now free of level crossings, the Melton Hospital is under construction, and a run of road and school upgrades has been rolling out across the municipality.