The Victorian Planning Authority prepares Precinct Structure Plans for future urban development, which outline the layout of roads, housing, shopping centres, public transport and other key infrastructure for new communities.

As part of this planning process, we prepare draft concept drainage strategies. These are engineering plans that identify the infrastructure and assets needed to meet current standards for flood protection, water quality, waterway health and amenity.

The drainage strategies also inform:

  • land requirements for drainage and waterways within the precinct
  • financial contributions from developers to fund the proposed infrastructure
  • broader catchment-based drainage strategies, known as Development Services Schemes (DSSs).

Precinct Structure Plans are prepared by the Victorian Planning Authority (VPA). They are plans that outline the preferred locations for land use and infrastructure, and guide the development of an area over time.

This includes:

  • transport and parking
  • urban design
  • heritage and character
  • open spaces
  • integrated water management.

Draft concept drainage strategies are conceptual designs (rather than functional or detailed designs) for drainage assets needed in a precinct.

They are a drainage engineering plan for Melbourne Water’s preferred conceptual drainage option, in order to ensure:

  • waterway environmental values are protected
  • new developments meet current standards for drainage and flood protection.

They also inform which areas of a precinct are needed for waterway and drainage infrastructure.

They do not include financial contributions, which are determined at a later stage in the development process.

Once the planning phase has concluded (i.e. the Precinct Structure Plan has been gazetted and incorporated into the Planning Scheme), the concept drainage strategy is finalised into a Development Services Scheme.

Melbourne Water needs to develop a Development Services Scheme (DSS) whenever planning schemes are amended or land in growth areas is rezoned.

DSSs are guided by urban planning outcomes set out under PSPs. However, they are implemented and managed separately by Melbourne Water. This is in accordance with our responsibilities and obligations under the Water Act 1989.

DSSs provide for:

  • a plan of proposed concept drainage infrastructure (including stormwater quality treatment facilities) needed to service future urban development
  • a financial contribution that developers pay to Melbourne Water in order to fund the infrastructure.

DSSs exist in most growth areas planned for development – there are about 150 active DSSs across Melbourne.

In preparing a DSS, Melbourne Water assesses whether proposed development gives rise to any specific drainage requirements. This work informs precinct planning and enables informed and responsible development.

For more information on DSSs, view Drainage schemes explained.

Developers of land within a DSS may need to pay developer financial contributions.

Contributions collected by Melbourne Water are used solely to fund and deliver drainage infrastructure under the DSS. Land which is not zoned for urban development will not usually attract development contributions.

Collecting developer contributions provides:

  • a guide to the expected cost of implementing sufficient drainage infrastructure for the PSP area
  • a fair way of sharing the costs of drainage infrastructure needed for urban development within the PSP area.

Each DSS is designed to be cost-neutral over the expected life of the scheme, with the contribution calculated on the basis of the:

  • net developable area
  • rate, quantity and quality of stormwater run-off.

Development contributions are essential to ensure that Melbourne Water can continue protecting and improving waterways and drainage infrastructure throughout Greater Melbourne.

Public consultation

View draft concept drainage strategies for current and past PSP consultations below.