Noise limits for commercial, industrial and trade premises depend on the location of the noise sensitive area where the noise is assessed: a major urban area or a rural area. New major urban area boundaries for Melbourne and regional Victoria apply from 1 July 2021. 

Major urban areas include land within Melbourne’s urban growth boundary. They also include larger towns and cities in regional Victoria. The Noise limit and assessment protocol for the control of noise from commercial, industrial and trade premises and entertainment venues (publication 1826) Annex A Table A.3 lists major urban areas outside the Melbourne urban growth boundary.

State or local government planning scheme amendments can change a major urban area boundary. Changes include planning scheme amendments to:

• update an urban growth boundary
• rezone land near the boundary of towns or cities with more than 7000 people.

Boundaries of major urban areas are available in Data Vic.