Epping Central

Epping Central plays a major role in providing services, health, justice and education for the community, as well as retail and commercial opportunities. This includes the Northern Hospital, Pacific Epping Shopping Centre, Melbourne Polytechnic and the Epping Services Hub.

Epping Central is designated as a Metropolitan Activity Centre as part of Plan Melbourne 2017 – 2050. Its role is to provide a diverse range of jobs, activities and housing for the region.

The Epping Central Structure Plan plays a role in guiding future development and ensuring that the Activity Centres can accommodate and respond to the needs of a growing and changing population.

Epping Central Structure Plan Review Project

The Existing Structure Plan was adopted by Council in 2011. We are currently reviewing the Epping Central Structure Plan will ensure that the area continues to grow as a liveable, diverse and thriving Activity Centre.

The review of the Epping Central Structure Plan will be completed in four stages, with each stage involving community consultation. The review will also ensure the plan aligns with the Whittlesea 2040 goals.

Structure Plan Review timeline

Structure Plan and 2040 goals

Stage 1 - Background Review

The initial stages of analysis of the Epping Central Structure Plan included background studies into placemaking and urban design, planning and development, economics and employment and the population.

In summary these documents found that the principles of the Structure Plan are sound and the vision for Epping Central as a high density mixed use precinct is appropriate. The background analysis highlighted challenges in achieving this vision such as current housing market demand, access to and amenity of public spaces and facilities, land ownership and development contributions.

Stage 2 - Future Directions Paper

A series of key considerations for the review of the Epping Central Structure Plan have been identified and these form part of the Future Directions Paper.

The Future Directions Paper provides an overall summary of work to date and identifies key directions.

Some directions are for the whole activity centre, while others are specific to precincts within it. These directions seek to address strategic issues affecting the Epping Central Structure Plan.

Community and stakeholder comment on the Future Directions Paper has now closed. Outcomes of consultation can be found below in the Consultation Wrap Up Fact Sheet.

Council will now use community and stakeholder feedback to confirm the proposed key directions and emerging ideas to inform changes made as part of the review of the existing Epping Central Structure Plan.

Existing Epping Central Structure Plan

While we review the Epping Central Structure Plan, the existing Structure Plan remains in place to manage growth and ensure that Epping Central is a vibrant place to live.

The plan sets out the vision for the area including:

Diverse and sustainable housing
Attracting new business that will provide jobs and entertainment
A sustainable transport network
New and improved public open spaces
Sustainable infrastructure

Click here to view the Epping Central Structure Plan

Epping Central planning controls

The planning controls which apply in Epping Central include:

An Activity Centre Zone divides Epping Central into 8 precincts and sets out controls for each around the use and design of private land.
Environmental Audit Overlay: before uses such as residential or childcare can be approved on former industrial or commercial sites, an environmental audit would need to be carried to check for possible contamination and to set out what clean up would be required.
Special Building Overlay: a small number of properties south of Railway Road are at risk of flooding after heavy rain and this overlay sets out the necessary building requirements.
Parking Overlay: special parking rates will apply to new development in precincts close to public transport, existing shops and services.
Developer Contributions Planning Overlay: Community infrastructure levies will be applied to new development based on numbers of dwellings for development and amounts of commercial floor space.