10 October 2013 Important Planning Update: Residential Zones and Plan Melbourne Residential zones are changing and may affect your development projects. All local councils are required to change their zones by July 2014. Glen Eira was the first council to change their zones applying the most restrictive zone, the Neighbourhood Residential Zone to the majority of their residential land. HIA understands that Boroondara, Moreland, Kingston, Brimbank and most other councils will follow suit and apply the Neighbourhood Residential Zone to a significant proportion of their municipality. The Neighbourhood Residential Zone sets: a default mandatory building height of 8 metres. a default maximum density of two dwellings on a block. Local councils can amend these mandatory requirements with approval by the Planning Minister. The Neighbourhood Residential Zone also provides councils the ability to set a minimum lot size for subdivision. Therefore, dual occupancy developments could be prohibited depending on the minimum lot size requirement in the zone. Transitionary Provisions There are transitionary provisions available for planning permit applications lodged before the date of the zone change. Therefore, the lower mandatory height limit in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone will not apply to a planning permit application as long as it is lodged before the zone is changed. HIA members should talk to their local council’s Strategic Planning Department about when the residential zone change will come into effect. They should also ask which zone is likely to be applied to their property. HIA has long argued strongly against the wide use of the Neighbourhood Residential Zone. The other new residential zones being applied are the Residential Growth Zone and the General Residential Zone. HIA’s position is that a typical suburban area of Melbourne should be in the General Residential Zone. The Neighbourhood Residential Zone could be applied in very rare cases. Plan Melbourne Yesterday, the Victorian Government released its Metropolitan Planning Strategy to shape the next 40 years of growth. The Strategy is called Plan Melbourne and can be viewed on the following website: planmelbourne.vic.gov.au/ According to the Planning Minister’s statement yesterday, Plan Melbourne will put in place a Neighbourhood Residential Zone to more than half of the city’s residential zoned land. He added ‘Plan Melbourne responds with the delivery of a permanent urban growth boundary and a strategy to begin re-distributing population growth to our regions’. Melbourne requires around 1,000,000 new homes by 2050. Plan Melbourne aims for 57% of new housing to be provided in established areas and 43% in growth areas. The Plan puts a heavy reliance on strategic urban renewal sites such as Fishermans Bend, Arden-Macaulay and E-Gate to accommodate residential growth. The Government will be taking public submissions on Plan Melbourne until 6 December 2013. HIA members are encouraged to contact Emily Waters, HIA’s Planning Services Adviser on 9280 8200 or [email protected]. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 22:51:53 +0000
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