At its May Council Meeting, Greater Shepparton City Council endorsed the Draft Toolamba and Old Toolamba Structure Plan 2025 to be placed on public consultation for six weeks, with the plan providing a strategic framework to appropriately manage any growth and development of the towns.
In Summary
- Council has endorsed the Draft Toolamba and Old Toolamba Structure Plan 2025 for public consultation, open from Friday 13 June to Friday 25 July 2025.
- The plan provides a strategic framework to guide future growth, addressing issues such as housing demand, infrastructure, sewerage, and environmental risks.
- The draft was developed with support and funding from the Department of Transport and Planning through the Regional Planning Hub program.
- A community drop-in session will be held on Thursday 26 June 2025 at the Toolamba Community Centre, giving residents a chance to share feedback and ideas.
Toolamba has been identified for potential growth for nearly two decades, with Council adopting a Toolamba Growth Plan and Precinct Structure Plan in 2020. To implement these plans, a Planning Scheme Amendment was considered by a Planning Panel, with the Minister for Planning concluding that further strategic justification was needed.
As a result, Council sought assistance from the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) to undertake the development of the Structure Plan, with Council successful in securing support and funding through DTP's Regional Planning Hub program.
Now completed, the draft Structure Plan will be released for public consultation for six weeks from Friday 13 June to Friday 25 July 2025, with the feedback received, along with feedback from relevant agencies, used to inform the final Structure Plan.
In developing the draft Structure Plan, Council held a preliminary information session which showed support for growth and the need for housing diversity, mains, sewerage, and additional local services, whilst retaining the natural appeal of the towns.
Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, said the plan was an important document to guide any future growth in an around Toolamba.
"The Structure Plan process involves identifying the current issues facing the township, constraints, opportunities, community aspirations and township requirements. It is important Council have these documents in place to ensure that the towns within our region can accommodate future growth and have the necessary infrastructure and facilities in place to manage this," he said.
"Toolamba has been identified for growth for many years; however, we know that there are issues with demand for housing, lack of sewerage, bushfire and flood risks. Any growth within the town requires these to be considered and planned for to ensure future prosperity in the region."
Consultation on the Toolamba and Old Toolamba Draft Structure Plan will go live on the Shaping Greater Shepp website from Friday 13 June 2025.
As part of the consultation activities, the community is invited to attend a public drop-in session on Thursday 26 June 2025 at the Toolamba Community Centre between 2.30pm and 7.00pm. These sessions provide the community with the opportunity to put forward any ideas or comments for consideration.
