The draft urban growth boundary report, released last week as part of the State Government planning scheme Melbourne @ 5 million, shows land between Melton and Caroline Springs will be the focus of future urban development.

When plans to move the line limiting urban expansion were announced late last year, the State Government said 4080 hectares of the 12,097-hectare Melton-Caroline Springs investigation area would be required.

But last week's draft maps show most of that land had been included, bar a patch of land north of the Melton Highway, an area around the Strathtulloh historical site in Melton South, and new areas to compensate for native grasslands that will be lost to

housing or the proposed metropolitan outer ring road.

The outer ring road will be built from Werribee to Mill Park. The Government says it will begin buying land in the near future, although construction is not expected to begin before 2020.

Land next to Caroline Springs, around Kororoit Creek, was considered flood prone and will be turned into parkland.

Landowners whose properties are now inside the UGB face a $95,000 per hectare tax when they sell their land.

As reported in last week's Express Telegraph, more than 50 people from the

Melton area protested on the steps of Parliament.

They are planning further action to have the tax scrapped.

Developer Mirvac-Jayaland confirmed construction of a $4.5billion suburb at Rockbank the same day as the draft UGB release.

The 717-hectare site - bordered to the west by Leakes Road and the south by the Western Freeway - will be developed over 15 years.

Mirvac-Jayaland owns the land, but it will receive a portion of the $95,000 per hectare tax paid by landowners inside the UGB who sell their land.

The developer says the suburb will use some recycled water and renewable energy. It will have a housing density of 17 to 20 dwellings per hectare and parks will be built around Kororoit Creek, Deanside Wetlands and the Leakes Road Lignum Marsh.

In a statement, Melton Council chief executive officer Neville Smith said the council was not in a position to provide a view on the UGB expansion and outer ring road but would provide a submission to the State Government "once we have had time to digest the background rationale for the recommended alignments."

Mr Smith acknowledged the proposed tax and aquisition of land for the outer ring road could be distressing for landowners.

Go to www.vic.gov.au/planningmelbourne or call 1800090789 to find out how to have your say on changes to the UGB.