Carnegie Structure Plan 2022 — Amendment C237

In August 2022, Council adopted the Carnegie Structure Plan 2022. 

The Structure Plan is a 15-year plan to manage growth and improvement in the Carnegie Major Activity Centre. It sets out the long-term vision and the future directions for the centre to help it maintain its valued historical character and charm while accommodating some future growth and change. It provides guidance for the location and scale of retail, commercial and residential development into the future and supports improved access, streetscapes and public spaces throughout the centre.

The Structure Plan presents a range of recommendations, of particular importance at this stage are the proposed heights and setbacks for future development in the commercial core in the vicinity of Koornang Road and the urban renewal area between the railway line and Dandenong Road.

A planning scheme amendment is required to introduce the planning control recommendations of the Structure Plan into the planning scheme. We prepared Amendment C237 for this purpose.

The introduction of a Design and Development Overlay (DDO9) to the centre was proposed to guide the heights and setbacks of new development so that their scale and form respond to the heritage character of Koornang Road and the adjoining residential areas.

Amendment C237 was supported by an independent planning panel and recommended it be adopted subject to some changes.

Council adopted the Amendment on 13 June 2024. The Amendment was then submitted to the Minister for Planning for approval in August 2024.

Planning Scheme Amendment C278

The Minister for Planning has approved Amendment C278glen (Implementing the Carnegie Structure Plan) which replicates the proposed council-led Amendment C237glen.

Amendment C278glen implements the key strategic directions of the Carnegie Structure Plan 2022 as proposed by Amendment C237 but replaces the Design and Development Overlay Schedule 9 (DDO9) with Built Form Overlay Schedule 4 (BFO4). The new BFO4 has been applied to the commercial core of the Carnegie Activity Centre. This change to replace a DDO with a BFO was made by the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) to give effect to the State Government’s Train and Tram Zone Activity Centres Program.

The BFO was developed by DTP as part of their Activity Centres Program to provide opportunities to streamline planning assessments and support housing growth in and around activity centres.

The Amendment approved by the Minister implements the Carnegie Structure Plan 2022 in relation to the main commercial core and covers the area shown on Map 1 below. The surrounding residential area was rezoned to HCTZ under the Activity Centres Program and does not form part of this Amendment.

Amendment C278 deletes the existing Design and Development Overlay (replaced by the BFO) and also will make consequential changes to local policy within the Glen Eira Scheme.

Some notable changes to the council adopted version of Amendment C237glen made by Amendment C278glen include:

• Appling mandatory equinox overshadowing controls to the Woorayl Street Reserve rather than mandatory winter solstice controls. (noting that the independent planning panel had recommended applying a discretionary equinox control rather than the mandatory winter solstice Council was originally seeking). The final decision to apply the mandatory equinox control is considered a reasonable outcome.
• Amend the wording to clarify that the overshadowing requirement for the active recreation space below the Skyrail immediately west of Koornang Road is a discretionary equinox control applying between 10am–2pm.