The Victorian Government is improving the operation of its planning system, making it more efficient and responsive. Over the past 20 years, a number of amendments to the Victorian Planning Provisions has resulted in complexity, delays, duplication and redundancies. This is causing uncertainty and impedes efficient and consistent planning outcomes, resulting in difficulty for non-planners to understand and effectively participate in the planning process.

What is the Victorian Planning Provisions (VPP)?

The VPP is set of state standard provision (policies and controls) created by the state government that planning authorities (usually councils) use as a template to construct planning schemes.

The state-wide template ensures consistency in planning schemes across Victoria.

Local provisions complement state standard provisions in a planning scheme through the Local Planning Policy Framework (LPPF) and schedules to zones, overlays and particular provisions.

Why is the VPP important?

The VPP introduced standardised planning scheme provisions in response to a proliferation of localised controls and the increasing complexity and disparity of planning schemes. The VPP is founded on the principles that planning schemes:

  • have a policy focus
  • will facilitate appropriate development
  • are to be usable
  • have greater consistency across the state
What benefits will the reforms deliver?

The proposed reforms would help the planning system better respond to changing land use needs across Victoria.

Changes will simplify and improve the structure of the VPP to:

  • ensure planning schemes are consistent, and that state and local policy work together more effectively
  • make planning schemes easier to understand and interpret
  • remove barriers to participation in the planning system
  • provide greater certainty for all stakeholders
  • lead to more effective, timely and consistent decision making
  • reduce waiting times, and costs of compliance and processing.
  • assist the move towards more digital systems.
Will the reforms affect planning permits already in process?

As part of the development of the reform process package, the need for transitional arrangements will be considered and communicated to stakeholders.

It is possible that some matters will no longer require a planning permit or will be assessed under a different assessment pathway.

How will VPP reform affect local planning schemes?

It is not expected that there will be substantial change to the intent of planning scheme policies or controls.

To implement the new Planning Policy Framework (PPF), existing local policies will need to be translated into the PPF, under relevant policy themes. The proposed themes are generally in line with the existing State Planning Policy Framework (SPPF), but expanded to ensure a place for all appropriate Local Planning Policy Framework (LPPF) content.

Read the discussion paper

Make an online submission

Submissions will close on Friday 24 November 2017