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Victoria's planning system took another big step this week. On Thursday 22 October 2026, the Minister for Planning gazetted Amendment VC319 into every planning scheme in the state. It extends the fast-track VicSmart pathway to developments of up to four dwellings on a lot and it matters to anyone who owns, builds on, invests in or sells residential land. Here's what changed, what didn't, and how to make the most of it. What VC319 does VC319 expands VicSmart so that an applica

If you own, buy or develop land anywhere near a creek, river, drain or the coast in Victoria, the rules just changed. Amendment VC317 has been gazetted into the Victoria Planning Provisions and every planning scheme in the state, and it rewrites how flooding is handled in planning. Here's what it does, what it doesn't do (yet), and what it means for you. The short version VC317 replaces the old "you're either in a flood overlay or you're not" approach with a risk-based rating

Amendment VC315 is now in effect across the Victoria Planning Provisions and all planning schemes. It refines the Single Home Code (Clause 54), the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code (Clause 55), the Mid-Rise Code (Clause 57) and the canopy trees provision (Clause 52.37). The Minister for Planning says the goal is to improve clarity, consistency and environmental performance across the residential codes. This is not a new policy direction. It fine-tunes the deemed-to-comply codes in

If you've been navigating a development, renovation or subdivision application, you've likely come across the term "Statement of Compliance." It sounds procedural, but it plays a critical role in moving a project from approval to reality. What is a Statement of Compliance (SoC)? A Statement of Compliance is a formal document confirming that a development, building work, or subdivision has been carried out in accordance with the conditions set out in its planning approval or c

If you've ever dug into how planning schemes get written or changed in Victoria, you've probably come across the term "Ministerial direction." It sounds bureaucratic, but the concept is fairly straightforward once you break it down. The Basics A Ministerial direction is exactly what it sounds like: an instruction from the Minister for Planning to planning authorities (usually local councils) about how they must go about preparing planning schemes and amendments. Rather than l

Every development application (DA) is really a team effort. Council doesn't just want a good idea it wants a complete, technically sound package that proves the idea will work on the site, in the street, and within the rules. Getting the right consultants involved early is often the single biggest factor in whether an application sails through or stalls in endless requests for information. Here's how to think about building that team. Start With What Your Site and Project Act

When people think about what goes into a planning permit application, they usually picture architectural plans, a planning report, maybe a landscape plan. Traffic engineering rarely makes the list until council asks for one, and the clock on your application quietly stops while you go and get it. At Equinox Town Planning, we bring a traffic engineer into the conversation early on almost every application that involves parking, a new access point, or more than a couple of dwel

If you're planning a renovation, a knockdown-rebuild, or a small development, it's tempting to jump straight to the fun part: sketching layouts, picking a builder, imagining the finished result. The feasibility study, the survey, the paperwork — that can all come later, right? Here's the thing: the earlier you get a survey done, the less it costs you in the long run. Not just in dollars, but in time, redesign headaches, and council back-and-forth. At Equinox Town Planning, we

If you've ever received a planning permit and spotted a typo in your name, an address that's slightly off, or a figure that doesn't add up, you don't necessarily need to go through a full amendment process to fix it. Section 71 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic) gives responsible authorities a quick, low-cost path to correct genuine mistakes on an issued permit and it's one of the most underused tools in the Victorian planning system. What Section 71 Actually Cove

Developers are a different audience to your average homeowner client, and they want a different conversation. They're not looking for reassurance they're running a numbers game, and planning is one variable in a much bigger equation involving finance, construction cost, and program. Having sat on both sides of this in-house at a developer and as an external consultant here's what developers actually want, whether they say it out loud or not. Tell me if this stacks up before I

Data centres have quietly become one of the fastest-growing development types in Victoria. Driven by cloud computing and the AI boom, proposals are landing across Melbourne's industrial precincts at a pace the planning system wasn't originally built to handle which has made this one of the more interesting (and contentious) areas of planning policy right now. Where Data Centres Sit in the Planning Scheme Until fairly recently, "data centre" wasn't even a defined land use term

If you're developing property across state lines, one of the first things you'll notice is that "getting a permit" doesn't mean the same thing everywhere. Victoria and New South Wales run two genuinely different planning systems : different terminology, different pathways, different decision-makers, and different appeal rights. For developers, investors, and businesses operating nationally, understanding these differences early can save weeks of delay and a good deal of frust

A Request for Further Information (RFI) from council can bring a development application to a standstill. For developers, understanding why RFIs are issued — and what the common pressure points are — is the first step to navigating them without losing weeks or months from your programme. Under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, a council may issue an RFI within 28 days of receiving an application. In practice, they are one of the most disruptive events in the permit proce

Amendment VC311, gazetted on 9 June 2026, updates clause 45.09 (Parking Overlay) to bring it into step with the sweeping car parking reforms introduced by VC277 in December 2025. If your site carries a Parking Overlay — or if you are in the middle of a planning permit application — this amendment has direct implications for how your car parking requirements are calculated. Background The Reform Story So Far Victoria's car parking framework underwent its most significant overh

Victoria's planning system has taken its next step forward. Key provisions of the Planning Amendment (Better Decisions Made Faster) Act 2026 were proclaimed and commenced on 3 June 2026 — marking the first wave of what is widely described as the most significant overhaul of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 in decades. Here's what's changed, and what it means for landowners, developers and councils across Victoria. Background: What Is the Better Decisions Made Faster Act?

What Is Planning Amendment VC271? On 6 February 2026, the Minister for Planning approved Amendment VC271 to the Victoria Planning Provisions (VPP), with the amendment taking effect immediately upon publication in the Victorian Government Gazette. This amendment affects 60 planning schemes across Victoria — making it one of the broader state-wide amendments in recent years. If you own or are developing land zoned Farming Zone (Clause 35.07) or Rural Activity Zone (Clause 35.08

Amendment VC248 was gazetted on 5 May 2026, making significant changes to Victoria's bushfire planning framework. If you're building, subdividing, or developing land in or near a Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO), your application will now be assessed under the new rules. What Clauses Does VC248 Change? VC248 amends three key clauses in the Victoria Planning Provisions: Clause 13.02 – State bushfire planning policy Clause 44.06 – Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) Clause 53.02

If you've ever wondered whether your home renovation, new build, or investment project needs a planning permit, you're not alone. It's one of the most common questions we hear at Equinox Town Planning — and the honest answer is: it depends. Melbourne has one of the most complex planning systems in Australia. Every property sits within a specific zone, may have one or more overlays applied to it, and is governed by its local council's planning scheme. Whether you need a planni

Urban growth brings opportunity—but also complexity. As cities expand and populations increase, the responsibilities of government bodies like the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) become more demanding. From managing congestion to coordinating infrastructure delivery, the pressures are constant. One of the most effective tools to ease these pressures is thoughtful, forward-looking town planning. Integrating Land Use and Transport At the heart of effective town p

Victoria is taking a major step toward solving its housing shortage with the introduction of the Mid-Rise Code—a new planning reform designed to fast-track medium-density developments across Melbourne and key activity centres. If you’re a developer, investor, planner, or homeowner, understanding the Mid-Rise Code Victoria is essential as it reshapes how housing approvals work across the state. What Is the Mid-Rise Code? The Mid-Rise Code is a new planning pathway that applies