Industrial Land

Merri-bek's industrial areas generate goods and services that serve both the municipality and Melbourne as a whole. But Merri-bek’s economy is changing. Jobs are moving away from manufacturing and towards providing services. Many service businesses can’t use land that the planning scheme has set aside for industry.

Council's Industrial Land Strategy

The Moreland Industrial Land Strategy looks at this issue. It divides Merri-bek’s industrial land into 74 precincts. Each precinct is shown as either Category 1, 2 or 3 based on their future land use:

• Category 1 (Core Industrial) sites will continue to house industry. There will also be some growth in office and small retail development in these areas.
• Category 2 (Employment Areas) sites will transition to office and retail uses.
• Category 3 (Transition Residential Areas) will transition to residential uses.

Council is implementing the Strategy in stages. It is now included in the Moreland Planning Scheme. Changes to the Scheme also mean that many Category 2 and 3 areas now contain offices, shops and housing.

A Job in Moreland

In 2020 Council commissioned the A Job in Moreland study. The study found that:

• The number of jobs in Merri-bek has not been growing as fast as the number of residents;
• Redevelopment is resulting in a loss of commercial floor space;
• More jobs will be created in Merri-bek if we have more commercial floor space in key locations;
• The planning scheme can encourage this to occur.

Council will use the study when it considers future changes to the planning scheme. You can find out more on our Housing and Employment Research page.

Future planning scheme amendments for industrial land

We are continuing to act on the Moreland Industrial Land Strategy. If you own a Category 2 or 3 industrial property you can lodge a ‘proponent-led’ amendment. The amendment will need to relate to the whole of the relevant MILS precinct.

You can find out more about changing the planning scheme on the Moreland Planning Scheme page.

Downloads and technical information

• Moreland Industrial Land Strategy

  For more information on the Moreland Industrial Land Strategy you can download:

  • The Moreland Industrial Land Strategy 2015-30 (PDF, 13.4MB) in full;
  • The Strategy's detailed maps of each precinct (PDF, 8.0MB);
  • An overview map of the municipality (PDF, 4.7MB) showing the location of each industrial precinct. 
• Current amendments on industrial land

  Information on current planning scheme amendments that implement the Moreland Industrial Planning Scheme can be found on our current amendments page.