NEIGHBOURS will no longer be able to object to subdivisions, standalone home builds and townhouse developments following a major planning system overhaul in Victoria.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday this week, Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny introduced a bill to Parliament to shake up the state’s planning scheme, updating the legislation made almost 40 years ago.<\/p>\n
All development projects, regardless of their scale, presently follow the same procedural process that takes 140 days on average.<\/p>\n
That process can blow out to as much as 300 days, if stalled by an objection.<\/p>\n
Key reforms include faster timelines for simpler projects, with single homes approved in 10 days, townhouses and low-rise developments in 30 days and complex developments in 60 days.<\/p>\n
It splits developments into three “streams” based on the size and complexity of the application.<\/p>\n
The ability for anyone to object to standalone homes, duplexes, smaller townhouses and other low-rise developments will be removed completely, as long as the project meets planning requirements.<\/p>\n
For more complex developments such as apartments, directly impacted neighbours will be notified and given 60 days to object.<\/p>\n
“If you are a neighbour, then you will get notice and have the right to object,” Ms Kilkenny said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
“But if you are someone who lives on the other side of the city, that doesn’t live anywhere near the development, you’ll not have that right.<\/p>\n
“Too many homes are getting blocked by people who don’t live anywhere near these homes.”<\/p>\n
The definition of a neighbour for third-party appeals will be set out in yet-to-be-drafted regulations separate to the legislation.<\/p>\n
Ms Kilkenny said the changes would bring Victoria’s planning approvals appeal process into line with the rest of the nation.<\/p>\n
Opposition Leader Brad Battin said he had a “serious problem” with the government taking away a community’s rights to have a say and accused it of failing the “transparency test”.<\/p>\n
“It’s vital that when we’re voting on legislation around planning that we see the regulations and how it’s going to operate and who it’s going to impact,” he said.<\/p>\n
More than seven million people live in Victoria but the Australian Bureau of Statistics forecasts the population to rise to 11.5 million by 2055.<\/p>\n
The Victorian government estimates another 2.24 million homes will be needed across Melbourne and the regions to cater for the population boom, and set a target in the 2023 Housing Statement to build 800,000 homes over the next decade.<\/p>\n
This includes 128,600 new homes in the City of Greater Geelong and 8,000 new homes in the Surf Coast Shire.<\/p>\n
All states and territories have agreed to the National Housing Accord, a country-wide target to build one million new and well-located homes over five years from mid-2024.<\/p>\n
In January, the Property Council said Australia was already 15,000 homes behind target.<\/p>\n
The State of the Housing System Report forecast Victoria could be the only state that comes anywhere near meeting its goal. – WITH AAP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEIGHBOURS will no longer be able to object to subdivisions, standalone home builds and townhouse developments following a major planning system overhaul in Victoria. On Tuesday this week, Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny introduced a bill to Parliament to shake up the state’s planning scheme, updating the legislation made almost 40 years ago. All development projects, […]<\/p>\n