The Minister for Planning has approved Amendment VC280 that amends all planning schemes in Victoria to introduce a new planning permit assessment pathway to facilitate townhouse and apartment development.
The amendment changes all planning schemes by introducing clause 53.25 (Great Design Fast Track) and amending clause 72.01 (Responsible authority for this planning scheme) to specify that the Minister for Planning is the responsible authority for applications under the Great Design Fast Track.
Only proposals that meet the specified principles, listed below, for good design and are highly sustainable can access this pathway:
- Neighbourly homes
- Welcoming homes
- Green homes
- Sustainable homes
- Healthy homes
- Adaptable homes
- Good value homes
Apartment and townhouse developments with eight or more homes, and from two to eight storeys in height may be considered to be eligible to access this new streamlined planning pathway.
Applications made under the Great Design Fast Track will require notification and community members can provide feedback during advertising, and these views will be considered prior to the Minister for Planning making a decision. Once decided objections will be exempt from review at VCAT. Councils will be notified of applications. Other requirements of planning schemes will continue to apply, however the Minister for Planning may choose to waive or vary any of the following:
- Minimum garden area requirement.
- Any building height or setback requirement.
- Any condition opposite a section 2 use in a zone of a schedule to a zone.
- Car and bicycle parking requirements under clauses 45.09, 52.06 and 52.34.
- An application requirement in any part of the planning scheme if the responsible authority deems it not relevant to its assessment of the application.
Proposals must demonstrate a higher standard of sustainability performance than typical developments, meeting an average of 8-stars on the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) for apartments and 7.5 stars for townhouses.
Building heights above what is allowed in the planning scheme will only be considered when proposals demonstrate strong alignment with the Great Design Fast Track design principles and appropriately respond to the surrounding context.
The pathway will be available for use from April 2025. You can find out more at planning.vic.gov.au/greatdesignfasttrack and this link to Amendment VC280 in Planning Scheme Amendments Online will allow you to access the lodged documents and Explanatory Report.