FAQs

The Merton Plan will set the future of the town for the next 20 years. It will consider the needs of the community, the economic development of the area and the future growth of the town. The plan will incorporate elements that can be formalised into the planning strategy, while outlying a community plan that considers broader community elements, such as a community vision. Two strategic documents will be combined in this project - a Structure Plan and a Community Plan.

A structure plan is a planning document that outlines the preferred development for a local precinct. Council generates an understanding on the preferred forms of development through the culmination of local stakeholder opinions with projections of social, economic, and environmental impacts on the area. The objectives of a structure plan then form the basis for future policy decisions and funding towards the precinct’s development.

A Community Plan considers a community's need for physical infrastructure and built environment, such as that which is incorporated in the Structure Plan. It also considers other aspects of a community: social, physical, economical and environmental. Council is working to ensure it appropriately supports the Merton Community Plan that is being led by the Merton Community.

A neighbourhood character statement seeks to ensure that the valued characteristics of Merton’s residential areas remain protected while accommodating future population growth and providing housing diversity.

The character statement is an objective definition of the current characteristics of a residential area. In the Mansfield Planning Strategy, a proposed character statement has been prepared for Merton. Although this statement has been adopted by Council, it can still be altered. The preferred character statement is shown below.

This character area is defined by informal bush gardens, surround low scale dwellings on spacious sites. New development provides large front and side setbacks to allow for the retention and continued planting of vegetation, native vegetation, and significant canopy trees, preferably endemic to the Hume Region.

New development reflects the existing low scale dwellings, using simple built forms. Dwellings to not penetrate the existing tree canopy and are often obscured by vegetation. Dwellings use natural materials, with natural materials in muted colours and tones befitting the surrounding environment. No front fencing is preferable. Where front fencing is provided, it should be low (up to 1.3 metres high) and visually permeable (at least 50 percent). Timber, chain mesh, post and wire or similar materials are encouraged.