Victorian Government changes to planning

The Victorian Government has announced on 25 February 2025 it is reviewing the Planning and Environment Act to increase the supply of housing in Victoria. The announcement has confirmed that the review will consider:

• streamlining the planning scheme amendment process and providing different pathways for different types of amendments.
• further reducing planning permit delays and blockages, including different assessment and approval processes for projects with lesser impact.

Plan for Victoria (released 28 February 2025) sets the state-wide vision for how Victoria will grow over time. The Plan replaces the existing metropolitan strategy Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 and regional growth plans.

The Plan identifies five pillars: 

• Housing for all Victorians
• Accessible jobs and services
• Great places
• Sustainable environments
• Self-determination and caring for Country. 

The stated aim of the plan is to deliver more homes, more jobs and great communities. To achieve this the plan sets out 22 actions including specific actions to increase the supply of housing in established areas, such as:

• Setting housing targets for every local council that will be included in the local planning scheme. For Boroondara the 2051 target is 65,500 additional dwellings (we currently have about 70,000). The Plan also states that the Victorian Government will step in to create housing capacity, should council fail to do so.
• Implement new planning controls to streamline planning in activity centres

Council provided feedback on the draft housing targets and the ‘8 big ideas’ in August 2024. Read the officer report and Boroondara Submission to Plan for Victoria and Draft Housing Target.

On 11 April 2025 the Victorian Government introduced new planning controls for Camberwell Junction Activity Centre and surrounding area. 

The new planning controls include:

• Built Form Overlay introducing built form and height controls for the commercial core of the centre. The building height and setback controls are largely consistent with Council’s adopted Camberwell Junction Structure and Place Plan.
• The Built Form Overlay introduces a streamlined deemed-to-comply planning application process applies to properties in the core area. This includes removal of third-party notice and review rights, if specific building heights, street wall heights and setbacks are met. Otherwise, the standard planning processes will apply.
• A new Housing Choice and Transport Zone  applied to the residential catchment around the centre. This new zone allows for the following building heights:

• Land	Maximum building height	Maximum number of storeys
  Zone 1	13.5m high or 21.5m high if the site is large*	4 storeys high or 6 storeys high if the site is large*
  Zone 2	11m high or 13.5m high if the site is large*	3 storeys high or 4 storeys high if the site is large*

* Large sites are defined as 1000m² with at least 20m frontage over 1 lot or over 2 or more connecting lots.

• Rezoning of some properties within the centre previously within the General Residential Zone 4 to the Residential Growth Zone or Commercial 1 Zone.
• The inclusion of the Camberwell Junction Activity Centre Plan and Council-adopted Camberwell Junction Structure and Place Plan (March 2024) in the Boroondara Planning Scheme as background documents.

• The Victorian Government’s expanded Activity Centre Program includes 50 additional centres across Melbourne to fit in 300,000 more homes around train stations and tram stops on ‘well-serviced’ lines.
• 6 centres are in Boroondara:
  • Hawthorn train station
  • Glenferrie train station
  • Auburn train station
  • Willison and Riversdale train station (as a combined centre)
  • Ashburton train station
  • Kew Junction.
• The Victorian Government is investigating surrounding areas of potentially up to 800m from the edge of the commercial area.
• The Victorian Government is preparing activity centre plans and new planning controls for these centres to increase the supply of housing.
• Planning for the Hawthorn, Glenferrie and Auburn train stations, as well as Kew Junction, is well under way and Phase 2 consultation has now commenced. For draft maps and the feedback survey, visit the Victorian Government’s Engage website.
• Phase 2 consultation closes on 19 October 2025 with online and in-person information sessions scheduled:
  • Online information session: 25 September 2025, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
  • Drop-in session Hawthorn Arts Centre: Saturday, 4 October 2025, 9 am to 12 noon
  • Drop-in session Hawthorn Arts Centre: Thursday, 9 October 2025, 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm
• It is expected that work for these centres will be completed by late 2025.
• Planning for the Ashburton and Riversdale-Willison train stations (phase 2 of the program) has also commenced and first stage public consultation is expected in coming months.
• Phase 2 consultation for centres near Tooronga, Gardiner, Glen Iris, Darling​ and East Malvern stations on the Glen Waverley line has also commenced. The published maps show that areas in Boroondara near these centres haven’t been included in the catchment areas.

The Victorian Government is changing the standards for townhouse and low-rise apartment buildings and how Council will assess planning permit application for such developments (including public notification and appeal rights).

What’s happened so far:

• The Victorian Government announced the introduction of a new deemed-to-comply code assess planning permit pathway for townhouse and 3-storey apartment developments.
• Limited detail has been released but the code will set basic development standards, including (but not limited to):
  • Six metre setbacks at the front, and setbacks at the side and rear
  • Tree canopy and open space requirements, including protecting trees that are a certain size
  • A mix of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments in projects of a certain size
  • Overlooking and overshadowing
  • Sunlight, storage, room size, ventilation and private open space for residents
  • Sustainability and energy efficiency
• The deemed-to-comply nature of the code means that if the standards are met, a planning permit must be issued. While nearby properties will still be notified there will be no opportunity to appeal the decision. If a proposal does not meet the deemed-to-comply standards, the usual planning permit process with appeal rights will apply.
• Where other planning permit triggers exist (e.g. Heritage Overlay, environmental overlays etc.) the application will still need to comply with those provisions as well as the new code.
• Details of the relevant standards will not be known until the amendment is gazetted. The new code will come into effect in April 2025.
• The Victorian Government has also stated they are developing a code for buildings between four and six storeys to be introduced at some stage. 

• The Victorian Government has introduced this as a planning approval pathway to encourage well-designed apartment and townhouse proposals.
• To qualify for this approval pathway, the development must meet the criteria:
  • 2 to 8 storeys high
  • Provide at least 8 homes
  • Show how the design principles have been met.
• At this stage, details of the process remain unclear.
• The Minister for Planning will be the ultimate decision-maker for ‘great design’ applications. Councils will be notified if the application affects land in Boroondara and can provide feedback, which will be considered by the Minister for Planning before a decision is made.
• While the community will be able to provide feedback during the advertising period of the application, there will be no opportunity for appeals to VCAT if the Minister for Planning decides to issue a planning permit.
• For more information, visit the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning’s website: Great Design Fast Track.