SRL East planning controls now in force: What developers need to know

Overview

On 14 July 2026, two significant planning scheme amendments were gazetted via Special Government Gazette No. 1432, giving statutory effect to structure plans for the Clayton and Box Hill stations along the Suburban Rail Loop East (SRL East) corridor. These amendments represent the culmination of a process that began with the appointment of the SRL East Precincts Standing Advisory Committee in June 2025, followed by public hearings from August to December 2025, and the Committee’s reports delivered in February 2026. The Minister for Planning approved the amendments on 24 June 2026.

The amendments introduce a comprehensive new planning framework – comprising the Precinct Zone, Built Form Overlay, Parking Overlay, and Environmental Audit Overlay – that will guide the development of land within the Clayton and Box Hill Structure Plan Areas for the next 15 years. For landowners and developers with interests in these precincts, the new controls will fundamentally reshape development potential. Below, the Gadens Planning and Environment team has summarised the key changes developers need to be aware of.

Amendment GC247 – Clayton SRL East Structure Plan

Planning schemes affected

Kingston Planning Scheme and Monash Planning Scheme.

What the amendment does

GC247 implements the Clayton SRL East Structure Plan, which seeks to retain the significance of the Monash Medical Precinct while supporting increased residential development, housing options and stronger synergies between health, medical research, education and research assets.

Key controls introduced

Precinct Zone (PRZ): The majority of land within the Clayton Structure Plan Area has been rezoned to PRZ. In the Kingston Planning Scheme, land previously zoned Commercial (C1Z, C2Z), General Residential (GRZ5), Industrial 1 (IN1Z), Mixed Use (MUZ), and Residential Growth (RGZ1, RGZ3) has been rezoned to PRZ5. In the Monash Planning Scheme, land previously zoned C1Z, GRZ2, GRZ3, GRZ6, IN1Z, and RGZ3 has been rezoned to PRZ1, with land within the Station Development Area (immediately north of the railway line, between Clayton Road and Madeleine Road) previously zoned C1Z, GRZ6 and RGZ3 now rezoned to PRZ2.

Built Form Overlay (BFO): Multiple BFO schedules have been applied – BFO6, BFO7 and BFO8 in the Kingston Planning Scheme, and BFO2, BFO3, BFO4 and BFO5 in the Monash Planning Scheme – to guide built form outcomes consistent with the Structure Plan.

Parking Overlay (PO): Applied to land within the Structure Plan Area (excluding publicly zoned land) to encourage sustainable transport patterns and alternative forms of parking. Parking rates have been translated to match the reformed framework introduced by Amendment VC277 (December 2025), which relies on Public Transport Accessibility Level maps.

Environmental Audit Overlay (EAO): Applied to land identified as potentially contaminated that is proposed to be rezoned to permit sensitive uses for the first time.

Public Acquisition Overlay (PAO): Applied to 31 Dunstan Street, Clayton for acquisition by SRLA for the purpose of a road.

Economic and land use focus

The amendment prioritises:

• expansion and intensification of the Monash Health Precinct to reinforce Clayton’s role as a premier health, medical and research centre
• health-related land uses in a defined health priority area
• commercial and office intensification, including prioritising retail and hospitality in the Clayton central Neighbourhood to create a vibrant night-time economy
• revitalisation of the Audsley Street Employment Area to attract new businesses with a shift to advanced manufacturing.

Amendment C255whse – Box Hill SRL East Structure Plan

Planning scheme affected

Whitehorse Planning Scheme.

What the amendment does

C255whse implements the Box Hill SRL East Structure Plan, focusing on growing Box Hill’s role as the region’s leading employment hub and service provider, supporting both commercial offices and use and development associated with its key function as a Health and Education Precinct.

Key controls introduced

Precinct Zone (PRZ): The majority of land within the Box Hill Structure Plan Area previously zoned C1Z, GRZ1, GRZ3, GRZ4, GRZ5, IN3Z, MUZ, Neighbourhood Residential (NRZ1, NRZ5), RGZ1, RGZ2 and RGZ3 has been rezoned to PRZ4, with land within the Station Development Area (generally bounded by Irving Avenue, Main Street, Bruce Street and Station Street) rezoned to PRZ5, and the former Box Hill Brickworks site at 14 Federation Street rezoned to PRZ6.

Built Form Overlay (BFO): BFO5, BFO6, BFO7 and BFO8 have been applied to guide-built form outcomes.

Parking Overlay (PO): PO4 and PO5 applied to set specific car parking requirements, replacing the previous PO1.

Environmental Audit Overlay (EAO): Applied to properties on Station Street, Box Hill identified as potentially contaminated.

Economic and land use focus

The amendment prioritises:

• more office space in new developments and a mix of commercial, retail, dining and entertainment uses to create a vibrant night-time economy around the Box Hill Metropolitan Activity Centre
• significant housing growth along Whitehorse Road and Station Street and around the two stations
• health-related land uses in a defined health priority area, supporting office, education and research
• realisation of the potential of the former Box Hill Brickworks site for higher-density residential development.

Key features common to both amendments

Voluntary Public Benefit Uplift Framework

Both amendments include a Voluntary Public Benefit Uplift Framework (VPBUF) enacted through the PRZ schedules, which incentivises the delivery of affordable housing in exchange for additional floor area. Following the Standing Advisory Committee process, the VPBUF has been limited to affordable housing contributions (with cash in lieu available). The Minister for Planning is the responsible authority for applications that use the uplift provisions.

Responsible authority

The Minister for Planning has been specified as the responsible authority for certain matters, including:

• development where the estimated cost is at least $50m
• development of one or more buildings with a height of six storeys or greater above ground
• use or development that provides a public benefit consistent with the PRZ, including any section 173 agreement related to the provision of a public benefit
• any master plan required by the PRZ.

Third party review rights

The PRZ and BFO support a deliberate shift to limiting third party notice and review rights to expedite and facilitate development in appropriate locations, consistent with the VPP parent provision.

Deemed to comply provisions

Certain built form standards – including overshadowing of open space or public realm (BF04), side and rear setbacks and building separation (BF06), and landscaping and fencing (BF12) — are retained as deemed to comply provisions, providing greater certainty, consistency and efficiency for applicants.

Local policy overrides

Both amendments specify that various existing local policies – including neighbourhood character, activity centre, landscape design and industrial land supply policies – do not apply to the Structure Plan Areas, ensuring the new framework takes precedence.

What this means for developers

These amendments represent a fundamental shift in the planning framework for land surrounding the Clayton and Box Hill SRL stations. Key implications include:

Increased development capacity. The rezoning of land to PRZ and application of BFO schedules establishes new height limits, setback requirements and land use permissions that will significantly increase development potential across both precincts.

Strategic site opportunities. Both Structure Plans identify strategic sites and master plan sites with tailored controls reflecting their development potential.

Streamlined approvals pathway. The combination of deemed to comply provisions, limited third party review rights and a clear built form framework is designed to reduce complexity of planning permit assessment and provide greater certainty for applicants.

Ministerial call-in for major projects. Developments of $50m or more, or six storeys or greater, will be determined by the Minister for Planning rather than the local council – signalling the State’s commitment to facilitating large-scale development in these precincts.

Affordable housing incentives. The VPBUF provides an opportunity to obtain additional floor area in exchange for affordable housing contributions – a mechanism that may materially affect development feasibility calculations.

Contaminated land considerations. Developers of sites subject to the EAO will need to obtain preliminary risk screen assessments or environmental audit statements prior to sensitive uses commencing.

If you hold sites in or near these station precincts, or are considering acquisition opportunities, now is the time to understand what the new controls mean for your development aspirations. The 15-year planning horizon established by these Structure Plans provides a clear runway for long-term investment decisions.

Please get in touch if you would like to discuss the implications for your projects.

Authored by:

Andrea Towson, Partner
Anthony Tchakerian, Associate