Update on Victorian Planning Provisions
Join the ACA, the AIA and the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning at 11.30am Friday 14 March for a free online education session on recent updates to planning provisions. This session is held on the AIA member platform but is accessible to all architects.
REGISTER HERE!
BACKGROUND
On 25 February 2025 the Minister for Planning announced proposed amendments to Clause 55 (Townhouse and Low-Rise Code) of all planning schemes and the introduction of Clause 57 (4 Storey Apartment Standards). These clauses set new minimum standards for specifications including room sizes, waste areas and storage areas. Neighbours will be protected from overshadowing and overlooking and there will be new requirements to include trees on properties, making the surrounding streets greener and cooler.
The new ‘Townhouse and Low-Rise Code’ (the Code) will allow faster permits and greater certainty for townhouses and apartment buildings up to three storeys, so long as they meet the strong new standards stipulated in the Code. The Code will implement new ‘deemed to comply’ standards for multi-residential developments of three storeys or less. If a planning application is ‘deemed to comply’ with these standards, there will be a faster and more certain permit process.
For more information, see the Planning Department website.
WHEN
11.30am–12.30pm Friday, 14 March 2025
WHERE
Live online via Zoom. Recording to be available.
BOOKINGS
This is a free education session, conducted by the Victorian Government Department of Transport and Planning.
This event is being hosted via the AIA’s member platform. If you are not an AIA member, click “Register” to bring up the option to “Create a Non-Member Account”. After this step you can then register for the event.
Please create your account at your earliest convenience, to allow time to resolve any difficulties. If you do not wish to make a non-member account, the recording will also be made available afterwards through the ACA website.
Registrations are capped at 500 so please register as soon as you can!
SPEAKERS
Colleen Peterson, Head of State Planning, Department of Transport and Planning
Before taking on her role as Head of State Planning, Colleen was a part of the private planning sector for over thirty years. For the past twenty years, Colleen has been part of Ratio where she has enjoyed a long tenure on the leadership team, occupying the roles of Director, Managing Director and CEO, where she played a significant role in establishing the company’s standing as a prominent professional consultancy. As the Head of State Planning, Colleen will lead both the statutory planning functions and the planning reforms at the department.
Jim Papadimitriou, Director, Statutory Planning Services, State Planning Policy, Department of Transport and Planning
Jim is an experienced leader with over 35 years’ experience and has been involved with and led the delivery of significant planning reform in the Victorian planning system. This includes the introduction of the Victoria Planning Provisions and new format planning system, reforms to the development contributions system, Rescode, the Better Apartment Standards and the reformed residential zones.