Amendment C196more
Project progress
- AuthorisationAuthorisation
- ExhibitionExhibition
- Consider public submissionsConsider public submissions
- Panel hearingPanel hearing
- Panel reportPanel report
- Council decisionCouncil decision
- Submit to MinisterSubmit to Minister
- Final decisionFinal decision
Council is proposing to apply a Special Building Overlay - Schedule 2 (SBO2) to properties affected by stormwater overland flows in the city's local drainage areas.
In 2023 Council had expert drainage engineers prepare an updated stormwater map. The map shows the affected land. A 1 in 100-year storm has a one percent chance of happening in any year.
After property owners were consulted, the map was designated for the Building Regulations 2018 in November 2023 and is now being used to inform building permits.
Amendment C196more puts the updated stormwater map in the Merri-bek Planning Scheme as a SBO2 so it can be used to inform planning permits.
There is already an SBO Schedule 1 (SBO1) in the Planning Scheme for Melbourne Water’s larger, regional drainage areas in Merri-bek. There are SBOs in many other Planning Schemes as well.
About the Amendment
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Amendment C196more makes the following changes to the Merri-bek Planning Scheme:
- Introduces a new Schedule 2 to Clause 44.05 Special Building Overlay over land shown on the stormwater map.
- Amends the Schedule to Clause 72.03 What does this planning scheme consist of? to update the list of maps that form part of the planning scheme.
- Amends the Schedule to Clause 72.08 Schedule to background documents to introduce a new background document Merri-bek City Council, Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map, Techinical Report.
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Below is a list of exhibition documents for this amendment:
- C196more Explanatory Report.
- C196more Instruction Sheet.
- Proposed Schedule 2 to Clause 44.05 Special Building Overlay (SBO2).
- Proposed Schedule to Clause 72.03 What does this planning scheme consist of?
- Proposed Schedule to Clause 72.08 Background documents.
- Proposed Planning Scheme Maps.
- C196more Notice of Preparation
Other documents
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report (Engeny Water Management, November 2023
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report Appendix A
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report Appendix B
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report Appendix C
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report Appendix D
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report Appendix E
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report Appendix F
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report Appendix G
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report Appendix H
- Merri-bek City Council Creating the Local Drainage Authority's Stormwater Map Technical Report Appendix I
- C196more FAQs
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Gateway 1 - Authorisation and Exhibition of Amendment C196more - 6 December 2023
Gateway 2 - Consider submissions and request a panel - 14 August 2024
Gateway 2 (reconvened) - Consider submissions and request a panel - 12 February 2025
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- March 2024: Authorisation of the Amendment
- 16 May - 17 June 2024: Exhibition of the Amendment
- 14 August 2024: Council meeting to consider submissions to C196more. Council resolves to do further consultation with landowners
- 12 February 2025: Council meeting to consider submissions for C196more, including outcomes from the further consultation. Council resolves to seek the appointment of an independent Planning Panel to consider submissions
- 22 April 2025: Directions Hearing
- 2 June 2025: Panel Hearing
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For further information or to discuss with our Strategic Planning Team how the changes might affect you, you can email strategicplanning@merri-bek.vic.gov.au or call 9240 1111.
We appreciate these documents are not always easy to understand, so please contact us if you need any assistance. All meetings will be undertaken via teleconference.
The documents on this page are in PDF-only format. If you have trouble opening or viewing a PDF document, you can get in touch with us using the details on our Contact us page. We can then arrange to provide the information in a format that suits your needs.
More information about our accessibility standards is available on our Accessibility page.
Panel and Directions Hearing
The Panel conducted a directions hearing by video conference on Tuesday, 22 April 2025.
Panel Hearing
The Panel Hearing will be held in-person and via video conference on the following days:
- Date: Monday, 2 June and Tuesday, 3 June 2025
- Time: 10:00am - 4:30pm
- Venue: Bunjil Meeting Room, Merri-bek City Council, 90 Bell Street, Coburg; Online on MS Teams
The Panel Hearing is public. You may attend the hearing in-person or listen to the Panel Hearing online using the MS Teams link above. You will not need to log into MS Teams to access the hearing.
If you have questions about the Planning Panel, please contact Planning Panels Victoria on (03) 5381 9457 or planning.panels@transport.vic.gov.au.
Exhibition and Submissions
Amendment C196more was publicly exhibited from Thursday, 16 May to Monday, 17 June 2024. Thank you to those who made a submission.
On Wednesday, 12 February 2025 Council considered the Amendment and resolved to request an independent Planning Panel to consider submissions.
The Council Report and associated attachments are on the Council meetings and past agendas page.
Copies of redacted submissions to the amendment can be viewed below:
- Submissions 1-10
- Submissions 11-20
- Submissions 21-30
- Submissions 31-41
- Submissions 42-51
- Submissions 52-60
- Submissions 61-70
- Submissions 71-80
- Submissions 81-94
Land affected by Amendment C196more
Use the interactive map below to see if your property is affected by Amendment C196more. This window will open in a new page.
The map is best seen on a desktop or laptop computer.
Frequently asked questions
Below is a list of frequently asked questions about Amendment C196more.
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Amendment C196more proposes to introduce the Special Building Overlay Schedule 2 (SBO2) into the Merri-bek Planning Scheme.
The SBO2 is for the city’s local drainage areas, where Council is the drainage authority, for land affected by stormwater overland flows from a 1 in 100-year storm event.
There is already an SBO Schedule 1 (SBO1) in the Planning Scheme for Melbourne Water’s larger, regional drainage areas in Merri-bek. There are SBOs in many other Planning Schemes as well.
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In 2023 Council had expert drainage engineers prepare an updated stormwater map. The map shows the affected land. A 1 in 100-year storm has a one percent chance of happening in any year.
After property owners were consulted, the map was designated for the Building Regulations 2018 in November 2023 and is now being used to inform building permits.
The next step is to put the updated stormwater map in the Merri-bek Planning Scheme as an SBO2, so it can be used to inform planning permits.
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The map was prepared by expert drainage engineers who have prepared similar stormwater maps for other municipalities.
An initial map was prepared in 2021 and shared with property owners. Then, Melbourne Water and the expert engineers did work so the map could be refined. This led to an updated stormwater map being prepared in 2023, and again being shared with property owners.
Property owner feedback in 2021 and 2023 has been important for the map’s development. This feedback helped to create the updated stormwater map that is now being used for the SBO2.
If you would like to find out more information about the process to create the stormwater map or the outcomes of previous consultation please visit our Conversations Merri-bek page.
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Having an SBO2 means a planning permit is needed to develop land affected by the 1 In 100-year storm event.
The SBO2 helps property owners, building surveyors, and architects to design new buildings and structures away from places where stormwater affects land.
The SBO2 will only be used if you want to build on your land.
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The SBO1 is for 1 in 100-year stormwater flows affecting land in Melbourne Water's regional drainage areas in Merri-bek. The map for Melbourne Water’s areas is already part of the Planning Scheme.
The SBO2 is for 1 In 100-year stormwater flows within Council's drainage areas.
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If the SBO2 applies to your property, you will need to make an application to Council for a flood level certificate. This information tells you the estimated flood level for your property. You would then give this information to your building designer who will consider how to best manage the 1 in 100-year risks and prepare preliminary plans. Once these plans have been prepared, you can then apply for a planning permit with Council.
We recommend contacting Council’s Urban Planning team on 9240 1111 to discuss the proposal’s preliminary plans. Do this before submitting a permit application.
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Property rates are not affected by the SBO. For more information about the calculation of property rates, visit Understand your rates and waste charge.
Find out more
If you would like to find out more about Amendment C196more, please contact Strategic Planning by emailing StrategicPlanning@merri-bek.vic.gov.au or on 9240 1111
If you would like to learn more about the process to create the stormwater map or previous consultation about the map, please visit our Conversations Merri-bek page.
See Stormwater map for Land Development
Privacy
Please be aware that we collect information from organisations and individuals during the planning scheme amendment process through submissions made to an Amendment. Submissions may be handwritten, electronic (both written and audio-visual), and often contain images, maps, and plans. Submissions frequently contain personal information which at times may be sensitive for commercial, health, or other reasons.
Natural justice and transparency are important parts of the Planning Scheme Amendment process. Council must make all submissions to an Amendment available for any person to inspect at its offices for a period of two months after the Amendment is finalised. This is a requirement of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. This includes all personal information such as names, address details, phone numbers email addresses. Your submission may also be emailed or posted to interested parties during the Planning Scheme amendment process.
We use submissions when assessing the Amendment and summaries of your submission are included in any Council report that considers the Amendment following the close of the exhibition. Your submission will also be used and disclosed in the public process of a Panel Hearing if one is required. Any submission forwarded to Planning Panels Victoria will be managed in accordance with their privacy policy.
Publication of Submissions on our website
We will make all submissions available to view online on its website during the Planning Scheme Amendment process. All submissions made available online will be redacted to remove personal names, telephone, and address details. Submissions will be removed from the website once the Amendment is finalised.
Use of your personal information
In accordance with the 'Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (VIC)' and 'Health Records Act 2001 (VIC)' the personal information submitted by you is being collected by Merri-bek City Council for the submission process and it will not be disclosed to any other external party without your consent, except as a requirement of the 'Planning and Environment Act 1987 (VIC)'. If we provide a copy of your submission to another person, we will provide a disclaimer that it is made available for the purpose of the planning scheme amendment process as set out in the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and that the information must not be used for any other purpose or distributed to another party or published online.
If you do not provide your name and address Council will not be able to consider your submission.
You can gain access to your personal information you have provided to Merri-bek City Council and if you wish to alter it, please contact Council’s Privacy Officer via telephone on 9240 1111 or e-mail at PrivacyOfficer@merri-bek.vic.gov.au
You can find more information regarding privacy on our Privacy page.