News

VC193 changes the VPP and all planning schemes in Victoria by: amending Clause 52.18 (State of emergency exemption) to support Victoria’s social and economic recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic through temporary planning scheme and permit condition exemptions that enable outdoor dining and facilitate the reopening and safe operation of restaurants and other food and drink businesses

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The Stage Government recently introduced opportunity for VicSmart application for 2nd dwelling in Residential Zones for Murrindindi and a couple of other Council areas. This may in effect be a "pilot" study before being introduced more broadly across all Council's or removed if it's use is deemed not functional.

The Victoria State Government on 5th August 2020 has changed all the Planning Schemes in Victorian regards to Clause 52.12 - Bushfire Protection Exemptions for provision of defendable space (10/30 rule).

Thomas & George P/L has relocated our main office to Lilydale on 25/11/2019.
Warburton will continue as a satellite office (by appointment).

Shire of Yarra Ranges as part of Planning Amendment C163 Part 1, has introduced a new Local Planning Policy for the Healesville Township in accord with the recommendations of the adopted Healesville Structure Plan. This planning amendment has recently been approved by the Planning Minister and adopted into the planning scheme.

The State Government made significant changes to all Victorian Planning Schemes, including the "protection of human life from bushfires" above all other planning considerations.

It is possible in some situations to apply for a 2nd dwelling on Low Density Residential Zone allotments of less than 8000m² in Shire of Yarra Ranges, where the density of neighboring residential character supports a higher density of development on the subject land.

The Minister for Planning Advisory Committee review of Amendment C143 LDRZ subdivision reforms has been completed their report & recommendations to the Planning Minister have been released publicly. Despite the Advisory Committee generally supportive of the Amendment proposed, the Planning Minister has refused the Amendment, ignoring the support for the Amendment within the independent Advisory Committee Report. The Minister has refused the Amendment on the basis of insufficient information in relation to the associated Bushfire Risk, which is ironic given the Minister implemented the expansions to the Bushfire Management Overlay without consultation of the public and particularly without consultation with the submitters affected by Amendment C143 of the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme.

Council has subsequently reviewed the decision of the Planning Minister & the Low Density Residential Zone subdivision reforms, and at their Council meeting on 12th June 2018 have decided to abandon any immediate reform of the Low Density Zone subdivision provisions. Council has decided that the Low Density Zone will now be considered as part of Council's Housing Strategy review and Structure Plan process for individual Townships.

This decision now means that any significant subdivision reform of the Low Density Residential Zone areas of the Shire are likely many years from reaching a decision/conclusion.

The previous Council Housing Strategy refused to consider reform to the Low Density Residential Zone areas of the Shire. We can only hope this upcoming Housing Strategy review will not hold such a narrow minded view at the beginning of the process. We encourage Low Density Residential Zone land owners to strongly contribute to Council's Housing Strategy review process when the opportunity arises.

In March 2017, The State Government introduced a Minimum Garden Area requirement through Planning Amendment VC110 into Planning Schemes across Victoria, which now affects the urban zones. All Developments & subdivisions need to comply with the minimum garden area as stipulated within the Planning Scheme, with this area varying depending on the size of the land being developed.

The State Government has recently decided the alignment for the North East Link, being the missing section of the ring road to connect the Western Ring Road to East Link. Option A (Bulleen Corridor) being the cheapest & closest to the city has been chosen as the preferred route by the State Government.

The Victorian State Government & Department of Environment Land Water & Planning (DELWP) have recently introduced a significant expansion of the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) across the whole of Victoria that affects many additional properties in the Shire of Yarra Ranges. The updated BMO Overlay and Maps have now been introduced into planning schemes across Victoria, including Yarra Ranges.

The Planning Minister has implemented amendments to the Neighbourhood Residential Zones (NRZ), with these changes now removing the previous restriction within the zone which limited the a Number of Dwellings on a lot to 2 by default, unless otherwise stipulated in the schedule to the zone. This amendment now introduces mandatory "garden provisions" which must be complied with that vary depending on the lot size proposed.
Where a NRZ schedule has stipulated a number of dwellings provision as a variant from the previous default of 2 within the zone, these provisions in the Schedules still apply, as the Planning Minister has only altered the Zone wording, not the individual schedules.

DELWP is in the process of establishing the Yellingbo Conservation Reserve, and many land owners abutting Rivers & Creeks in the area between Woori Yallock to Millgrove and Yellingbo regions are having their Agricultural Licence for the adjoining River Reserve cancelled, as these river reserves will form part of the Yellingbo Conservation Area.

We can assist with the title boundary definition of these often irregular boundaries, to ensure any land being reclaimed by DELWP is only to the title boundary and any new fencing is located in the correct location.

Amendment C155 was adopted into the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme on 13/10/2016, providing 2 lot rural boundary re-alignment subdivision applications within Yarra Ranges to be considered on their individual merit, and providing an exemption to compliance with the minimum/average/max lot size provisions of the planning scheme under certain situations. This is a positive policy adoption for the future orderly planning with the Shire of Yarra Ranges rural zones.