Background

Shepparton North is experiencing strong population growth and significant investment in infrastructure, particularly arterial road projects and drainage in recent years. To respond to this growth, Council engaged Mesh Liveable Urban Community Pty Ltd (Mesh) to prepare a Structure Plan for land comprising the Shepparton North Activity Centre (SNAC), which includes land extending from Ford Road and Hawkins Street on the eastern side of Numurkah Road, and the wider Shepparton North area to guide its future development. The Structure Plan will consider the implications and opportunities for Shepparton North in terms of development, movement and access, the analysis of projections for economic growth (e.g. industrial, commercial and residential development) that may impact upon planning for the area.

Pre-draft consultation

Council undertook pre-draft community consultation between 21 February and 21 March 2022. Council received 11 submissions during the pre-draft consultation phase. Methods of engagement included:

• direct emails to all stakeholders who actively participated in the Shepparton North Activity Centre Advisory Committee;
• Council’s e-newsletter to 5,500 subscribers;
• information on Council’s website including a submission portal on Shaping Greater Shepparton allowing online submissions;
• social media promotion with link back to website;
• potential to place advertisements in the Shepparton News / Adviser; and
• direct letters to everyone within the Shepparton North Activity Centre.

Submissions were invited via an online submission form, by email, and by post and verbal briefings were delivered via in-person or via video conference.

A range of common themes were identified in submissions, these were, in no particular order:

• opportunities for landscaping and gateway treatments along Numurkah Road;
• issues and opportunities for future commercial use;
• interface issues between commercial and residential areas;
• greater integration with the Shepparton Sports and Events Precinct; and
• investigate sustainable transport opportunities.

A Conversation Report was prepared to summarise the submissions received and heard, and Council officers’ responses can be found below:

Shepparton North Structure Plan

An indicative boundary for the Structure Plan was prepared by Council, which comprises:

• all commercial and industrial land on both sides of (Numurkah Road) Goulburn Valley Highway between Ford Road and Pine Road;
• residential interface areas, including the recently constructed The Vines residential estate; and
• the Shepparton Sports City, and the Shepparton Sports and Events Centre.

Shepparton North Issues, Opportunities and Emerging Challenges Paper

In August 2022, Mesh prepared the Shepparton North Issues, Opportunities and Emerging Challenges Paper (the Key Issues and Opportunities Paper)

A link to view the Key Issues and Opportunities Paper can be found here:

The Key Issues and Opportunities Paper gathers and synthesises all background research, and key issues and themes raised in submissions. The Key Issues and Opportunities Paper also outlines:

• Council’s aspirations for the role and function of Shepparton North;
• key influences informing the growth of Shepparton North (e.g., growth constraints, etc.);
• the role of key land uses;
• how development can positively contribute to the growth of the area;
• what form commercial and residential development should take; and
• what the issues and opportunities for the transport network are.

Have your say

Council invited members of the community, including residents and business owners, to provide feedback on the Key Issues and Opportunities Paper.

Feedback received will be used to inform the preparation of a draft structure plan for Shepparton North. Council collected feedback from Monday 19 September to Friday, 21 October 2022.