News

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.

Shire of Yarra Ranges at its meeting on 14th June 2016 has supported a recommendation to ask the Planning Minister for rezoning of the existing Rural Living Zone (RLZ) areas in townships along the Warburton Highway corridor. This will provide additional new opportunities within these township areas.

As a local resident & locally based business owner, I recently participated in the Coldstream Structure Plan Community Meeting. The Draft Coldstream Structure Plan has been compiled & adopted by Council.

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