MBRC Planning Scheme - Extractive industry zone

The State Government requires councils to identify key resource areas through their planning schemes. Council does this through the Extractive Industry zone.

The Extractive industry zone identifies areas that contain significant deposits of phyllite, granite, bluestone, sand, gravel and clay.  These resources are used by the construction industry to produce concrete, asphalt, road bases and a range of other products.

What is the purpose of this zone?

  • Identify key resource areas as required by the state government.
  • Manage the extraction and processing of the natural resource.
  • Ensure the future optimal utilisation of the natural resource.
  • Protect the zone from inappropriate uses that may restrict the extraction of the natural resource by:
    • limiting uses to those compatible with natural resource extraction
    • buffering the zone from incompatible sensitive uses (extractive resources values and constraints provisions)
    • identifying and protecting transportation routes (extractive industry transport route values and constraints provisions).
  • Ensure land is rehabilitated once natural resource extraction is complete.

There are no precincts in the Extractive industry zone.  However, the Extractive industry zone works closely with the “Extractive resources separation area" and "Extractive resources, transport routes” values and constraints provisions. These provisions are located within various zone and development codes.  

Example of Extractive Industry zone mapping 

Extractive Industry zone map example
Extractive industry legendExtractive industry zone

What can I expect to see in this zone?

A limited range of uses occur in the Extractive industry zone, including:

  • continuation of mining and extraction activities (extraction and/or processing of extracted resources)
  • high and medium impact industry (batching, manufacturing or recycling of concrete or asphalt only)
  • limited non-extractive industry uses
  • caretaker’s accommodation
  • animal husbandry
  • cropping
  • park
  • extractive industry activities will be screened by vegetation to protect the visual amenity of the surrounding area
  • extractive industries will continue to use the identified extractive resources transport routes
  • once the natural resource is exhausted or extraction discontinued, land will be rehabilitated in a manner suitable for the establishment of uses compatible with the character and amenity of the local area.

More information

Assessment benchmarks (requirements) for development (material change of use) in the Extractive industry zone can be found in Part 6, section 6.2.5 Extractive industry zone code.  Assessment benchmarks for reconfiguring a lot in the Extractive industry zone can be found in Part 9, section 9.4.1.5 Reconfiguring a lot code, Extractive industry zone. 

Refer to Part 5 of the planning scheme to determine the category of development and assessment (type of application required, if any) for development in the Extractive industry zone. Section 5.5.5 Extractive industry zone Table of assessment identifies the category of development and assessment for a material change of use.

Planning scheme policy Extractive industry(PDF, 403KB) provides additional information and guidance about satisfying assessment benchmarks identified in the planning scheme.

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