Horsham City Urban Renewal

The Urban Renewal study area extends from the Wimmera River to the south to Baillie Street to the north and encompasses the Horsham Central Activities District (CAD). The identified urban renewal development sites and precincts which are the subject of this Project Brief include:

• Investigation area 1 - Council Depot and adjoining community uses, 22-32 Selkirk Drive (land area: 2.19 ha.).  An existing operational Council Depot which has been identified for relocation.  The site is currently zoned General Residential Zone 2 (GRZ2).
• Investigation area 2 - Land north of Selkirk Drive and the HRCC Council Depot site (land area: 4.39 ha.).  Land comprises a range of commercial and industrial uses including a Concrete batching plant and vacant industrial land which is considered to be inappropriately located and a conflicting use within the CAD arae.  The site is currently zoned Commercial 1 (C1Z).
• Investigation area 3 - Commercial land bounded by Firebrace Street, Madden Street, Baker Street and the Botanical Gardens and Harvey Norman retail premises (land area: 1.62 ha.).  The land comprises a mix of vacant land, residential housing and commercial uses and is currently zoned Commercial 1 (C1Z) and General Residential Zone 2 (GRZ2).

As part of the staged implementation of the Urban Renewal Vision and Masterplan, Council is seeking to implement potential development outcomes based on commercial and financial assessments, detailed site analysis and stakeholder engagement. This will determine the future planning and development of the selected urban renewal investigation areas.

The project will build upon the strengths of Horsham as a Regional Centre and facilitate the transformation of the city through:

• Providing a guide for urban renewal of the city to accelerate the delivery of public and private development.
• The provision of housing choice and diversity.
• Ensuring a land supply pipeline to facilitate regional growth.
• Commercial and financial feasibility, as well as master planning to support development outcomes for these strategic sites.
• The development of strategies to overcome commercial and environmental barriers to development
• The creation of Concept Development Plans
• Achieving a vibrant mix of commercial and residential activity.
• Developing linkages between the city and the river.
• Providing Urban Design guidance for the precincts.

The project will assist in facilitating the redevelopment of key sites and provide a model for urban renewal in regional Victoria. 

The project will develop plans for the key development sites that include:

• Identification of constraints to future use and development, including desktop technical investigations of current statutory planning controls, environmental, services, infrastructure, traffic and other physical constraints.
• A comprehensive commercial and property market review into future sustainable uses including residential, mixed use and commercial uses.
• Targeted Stakeholder and Community Engagement, including adjoining and affected landowners, servicing authorities and Council.
• Redevelopment plan options including the preparation of a financial model of potential commercial development options for the Investigation areas including:
  • Indicative redevelopment plans for the investigation areas identifying likely land use mix, subdivision layout, development density/ yield.
  • Financial feasibility analysis of potential commercial outcomes for the Investigation areas, including justification for the assumptions adopted in the financial models and sensitivity analysis.
  • Planning Scheme implications and recommendations

• The preparation of Final Redevelopment Plans and an Action/ Implementation Plan that includes:
  • Final redevelopment plans outlining preferred option identifying land use, mix, lot layout, development density/ yield and potential building form.
  • Commercial feasibility analysis of preferred options and key sites.
  • Planning Scheme recommendations to guide future development 
  • An action and Implementation plan for each investigation area including recommendations of supporting actions to facilitate and progress redevelopment.

A planning and property report has been prepared to identify the site and planning context and provide a market analysis of the land. The Planning and Property Report is attached below.

Horsham City Urban Renewal Planning and Property Report(PDF, 6MB)

The preparation of a financial model for potential commercial development options of the Investigation Areas including indicative redevelopment plans identifying the likely land use mix, subdivision layout and development density. A Financial Feasibility analysis of potential commercial outcomes for the Investigation Areas has also been provided.

The Final Development Plans will outline preferred options for land use mix, lot layout, development density/yield and potential building form, as well as provide a Commercial Feasibility analysis and Planning Scheme recommendations to guide future development. The Urban Renewal Project will also provide a detailed action and implementation plan for each investigation area that includes recommendations of support actions to facilitate and progress redevelopment.

Council at its meeting held on 22 April 2024, adopted the Horsham City Urban Renewal Project - Redevelopment Options and Implementation Plan.