The City of Whittlesea has moved to strengthen key planning controls in an important step towards delivering the first stage of the Beveridge Intermodal Precinct.

Council voted at the Council Meeting on Tuesday 18 February to endorse a submission to the Minister for Planning on proposed changes to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme.

The Beveridge Intermodal Precinct, located in the municipality’s north-west, will be a major freight and logistics hub adjoining the existing Melbourne-Albury-Sydney rail corridor.

It will support the movement of more freight rail between Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, and deliver increased productivity, stronger supply chains and reduced road congestion.

Council has long been an advocate for the project due to the expected economic benefits, with the precinct forecast to contribute an estimated $2.5 billion annually to the state’s economy.

The precinct will also provide increased employment opportunities in the municipality through the creation of both direct and indirect jobs.

Council’s submission aims to ensure issues such as transport infrastructure, environmental management and cultural heritage are addressed prior to construction starting this year.

The initial stage – referred to as Stage 1A – will involve building a permanent rail connection to the rail freight corridor and an interim intermodal terminal.

The interim terminal, to be delivered by the Commonwealth-owned National Intermodal Corporation, will have the capacity to handle up to two 1,800-metre interstate freight trains a day.

Planning for Stage 1B, featuring the permanent intermodal terminal, and Stage 2, comprising the broader employment precinct, will continue throughout 2025.

Quotes attributable to City of Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor Aidan McLindon:

“The Beveridge Intermodal Precinct is a transformative infrastructure project for our region that will create thousands of jobs to support a growing population,” he said.

“It is vitally important that all aspects of this project are planned to the highest standard and that is why we have provided a comprehensive submission for the Minister’s consideration.

“We are excited for this project to progress to the construction stage and for our community to start reaping the benefits of this substantial investment.”