Amendment VC315: What's Changed in Victoria's Residential Codes

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 introduced over the past 18 months: Clause 55 through VC267, Clause 54 through VC282 and Clause 57 through VC300. Since those codes came in, the government has identified four areas that need work: the tree canopy standards, stormwater management, requirements that should apply only to new development, and the consideration of section 173 agreements.

Changes common to Clauses 54, 55 and 57

All three residential codes now:

• Take section 173 agreements into account again. Any restrictions in a 173 agreement on title must once more be considered in assessment.

• Have an updated design response requirement. Clauses 54.01, 55.01 and 57.01 have been revised to improve how the provision operates.

• Say which standards apply only to new development. This should reduce uncertainty for applications involving existing buildings, such as extensions and alterations.

• Have clarified and improved tree canopy standards:

• Standard A2-6 (Clause 54)

• Standard B2-7 (Clause 55)

• Standard E2-6 (Clause 57)

Clause-specific changes

• Clause 54 – Single Home Code

• Standard A2-1 (Street setback) has been clarified.

• Clause 55 – Townhouse and Low-Rise Code

• Standard B5-1 (Permeability and stormwater management) now uses the Blue Factor stormwater management tool instead of STORM.

• Off-site stormwater impacts have been reinstated in the decision guidelines.

• Clause 57 – Mid-Rise Code

• The stormwater requirements now use the Blue Factor tool instead of STORM.

• Clause 53.24 – Future Homes

• The STORM tool has been replaced with Blue Factor.

  Clause 52.37 – Canopy trees

• Clause 52.37 came in through VC289 on 15 September 2025, creating a permit trigger to remove, destroy or lop canopy trees in most residential zones.

• VC315:

• separates noxious weeds from environmental weeds in the exemptions

• clarifies and improves the tree canopy requirements, so they line up with the updated standards in Clauses 54, 55 and 57.

• adds land covered by a Precinct Structure Plan to the exemptions table

A new definition: "deep soil"

Clause 73.01 (General terms) now defines "deep soil". This matters because deep soil areas are central to meeting the tree canopy standards. A consistent definition should reduce differences in how councils interpret it.

Transitional provisions

VC315 adds transitional provisions to:

• the Mixed Use Zone, Township Zone, Residential Growth Zone, General Residential Zone, Neighbourhood Residential Zone and Housing Choice and Transport Zone

• Clause 52.37

• Clause 53.24.

If you have an application with council now, check these provisions to confirm which version of the requirements it will be assessed against.

What this means for your project

Stormwater: reports prepared with STORM may need to be redone in Blue Factor for new applications. Build this into consultant briefs now.

Section 173 agreements: review title early. Restrictions in an agreement are relevant to assessment again.

Tree canopy and deep soil: check site layouts against the refined canopy standards and the new deep soil definition before you lock in the design.

Precinct Structure Plan land: growth area projects may benefit from the new canopy tree exemption.

Extensions and alterations: the clearer split between new and existing development may make some applications simpler.

The amendment expects to save applicants time and resources by making the application process clearer and more certain.

How Equinox Town Planning can help

Equinox Town Planning provides development application, planning assessment and council liaison services for residential, mixed-use and commercial projects across Victoria. We believe planning should enable good development and help meet the needs of a growing state.

If you would like your project reviewed against the updated provisions, please get in touch.

This article provides general information only and does not constitute planning advice for any specific site or proposal.