Ballarat Industrial Land Strategy

The City of Ballarat has developed a Draft Industrial Land Strategy to plan for future industrial and commercial business activity in Ballarat.

There are a number of existing industrial areas in Ballarat and as the economy grows, it is important to plan for future industrial activity which requires new land in suitable locations, with good access to road and rail infrastructure.

Some of Ballarat’s older industrial areas might be suitable to “transition” to other land uses such as commercial or residential use, depending on the location. The Draft Industrial Land Strategy has been developed to identify locations suitable for existing and future industrial (and commercial) activities, that support employment and business in Ballarat.

Why is the City of Ballarat developing an Industrial Land Strategy?

Planning for future industrial and commercial areas is important to ensure the ongoing supply of land for industry, business and employment opportunities for Ballarat. Industrial activity needs careful planning to ensure that industrial uses are compatible with their surrounding areas, which can include residential land use (houses) and other more sensitive uses.

As the economy grows and changes, new commercial and industrial opportunities arise that need to be accommodated on land that has already been identified for that purpose. This ensures that Ballarat takes advantage of emerging business interests that contribute to, and help grow the local economy and employment in the area.

Identified Future Industrial Land

The Draft Industrial Land Strategy identifies areas that have the potential to change to industrial uses and some areas that have the potential to change from industrial uses to a more compatible use to the surrounding area. Potential (new) future industrial areas are identified in the north-west of, and in close proximity to the Ballarat Airport, the Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ) and the Western Freeway. These areas are known as the Sunraysia Drive/Dowling Road Precinct (short to long term land supply) and the Draffins Road Precinct (potential long term land supply).

Other areas identified as “Urban Renewal Opportunity” are proposed to transition away from heavy industrial uses to include uses more reflective of future employment needs such as commercial, industrial uses compatible with neighbouring sensitive uses and where suitable, residential uses (subject to further strategic planning work).

Current Industrial Land Supply Map
Current Industrial Land Supply Map
Proposed Industrial Land Supply Map
Proposed Industrial Land Supply Map

Background Documentation

Industrial Land Analysis

A Draft Employment Land Strategy went out to the Ballarat community for feedback in 2021, and has assisted in the development of the Draft Industrial Land Strategy. Since then, Council has also developed a draft Housing Strategy, which is another piece of important strategic planning work that sets out a broad direction for the types of housing (and locations) that Ballarat will accommodate over the next 20 years. The Industrial Land Analysis: Supply, Demand and Precinct Planning Directions by SGS Economics & Planning, April 2024 is also a supporting document to the Draft Industrial Land Strategy. Together, this strategic work will inform and guide future planning and investment decisions in Ballarat.

FAQs

FAQs

The Draft Ballarat Industrial Land Strategy provides analysis of land supply and the projected future demand for industrial land to ensure that the Ballarat economy is prepared for future business and employment opportunities.

It is important to plan for all types of land use, including future industrial land supply, to ensure that the Ballarat economy is prepared for future business and employment opportunities. It is also important to make sure that surrounding land uses are compatible with any commercial or industrial activity that occurs, and to avoid potential conflicts arising from dust, noise, heavy vehicle traffic and possible visual impacts from industrial facilities.

Traditionally, industrial land has implied heavy industrial uses such as a steel works (for example). However, both industrial and commercial zones can cater for similar types of land use and the zones in the planning scheme allow for a range of activities to occur in both the industrial and commercial zones. Low impact land uses such as warehousing can occur in an industrial zone, as can office use.

There are provisions in the planning scheme that set out distances that are considered appropriate to separate different types of industrial and commercial activity. These are known as “buffer” distances (found at Clause 53.10 of the planning scheme).

There are also other ways to ensure that there is separation between residential and industrial land use such as open space

Further information on managing industrial land use is available at:

https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/guides-and-resourc...

Exhibition of a planning scheme amendment will then (potentially) occur in the second half of this year, subject to adoption of the strategy and then authorisation from the state government.

The amendment would implement policy changes within the Ballarat Planning Scheme and update plans that identify current and future industrial land supply. Any subsequent rezoning of land would be undertaken at a later stage.