Planning

21 April 2025 – Charter 29’s submission to the Select Committee on VPP amendments

Charter 29 has published their submission to the Victorian Parliament Select Committee on the recent amendments to the Victorian Planning Provisions.

Read here (scroll the window) or download (see below).

3 March 2025 – Whitehorse Community Forum on Victorian Government Planning Reform

The Whitehorse Community Forum on Victorian Government Planning Reform, held 27 February 2025, was recorded is available to view online on the Council’s website. Note the forum starts at 1 hour 7 minutes (scroll forward to watch the start).

View the forum.

One of the panelists at the forum, Stephen Rowley, spoke about “button mashing” and has written an article, “Button Mashing: The Housing Statement and Planning Reform”:

“Councils have worked diligently for years to try to implement a flawed regulatory framework they did not design. They continue to be scapegoated for planning delays, but sidelined in the process of system reform. Misguided reform programs have exacerbated procedural complexity, making the system ever-harder to administer.”

Read the full article.

28 February 2025 – Cars vs public transport

The State Government has released its new Plan for Victoria which includes a proposal “to ease car parking requirements for apartments developed next to transport connections”.

The Age also reports Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny “has threatened to take over planning powers from councils that don’t show commitment to the targets. Councils only need to make the development possible under their planning schemes, so meeting the targets is unenforceable.”

Read the article in The Age [paywall].

28 February 2025 – Townhouses and 3-storeys are GREEN FOR GO!

“Townhouses and low-rise apartments up to three storeys will be fast-tracked in Victoria under a new code that will curtail the right of neighbours to appeal against developments if they meet a set of standards.”

Read the article in The Age [paywall].