Be Across The Changes That Affect The Feasibility & Outcome of Your Projects

Victorian Planning Schemes have undergone significant shifts in recent months.

Some amendments have made simple processes and applications more complex. Others have simplified previously complex applications and improved the viability of projects that may not have stacked up in the past.

Planning has been charged with doing some of the heavy lifting in solving several complex challenges across Victoria, including:

• addressing state-wide housing shortages (VC242)
• safeguarding elevated residential standards (VC243)
• ensuring the longevity of existing infrastructure (VC265)
• preserving biodiversity (VC289)
• mitigating intensified risks associated with climate change (VC248)

We have certainly seen previously unviable projects become feasible following amendments such as the changes to Car Parking requirements (VC277).

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Housing & Residential

StandardsVC242 (Housing Shortage & Fast-Tracking):

This amendment introduces
fast-track pathways for affordable and social housing projects. If your project
meets specific state criteria, you can bypass lengthier local council hurdles to
get to market faster.

VC243 (Residential Standards – ResCode):

This altered the ResCode assessment process for residential developments. It shifts
several standards to a codified system, meaning clearer guidelines for
boundary setbacks, site coverage, and overlooking, but stricter compliance
enforcement. 

Market & Feasibility Boosters

VC277 (Car Parking Requirements):

This is a major win for project viability,
particularly in activity centres and near public transport. It reduced or
entirely eliminated minimum car parking mandates for certain uses. This
unlocks massive design flexibility, slashes excavation/basement costs, and
increases yield on previously unviable tight sites. 

Infrastructure, Climate & Environment

VC248 (Climate Change Risks):

Expect heightened scrutiny on land subject
to flooding, bushfires, or sea-level rise. It forces developers to integrate
stricter hazard mitigation and resilient design features early in the planning
phase.

VC265 (Infrastructure Longevity):

Focuses heavily on protecting existing
state infrastructure assets (like transport corridors and utility networks).
Development adjacent to these assets faces tighter design constraints to
prevent operational impacts.

VC289 (Biodiversity Preservation):

Tightens the rules around native
vegetation removal and native habitat offsets. If your site has established
trees or ecological value, expect higher offset costs and stricter retention demands.

Small planning changes can have a significant impact on:

• project feasibility
• development yield
• timelines
• construction costs
• and overall project outcomes

In many cases, understanding these amendments early can mean the difference between:

• a project that works
• and a project that doesn’t.

Staying on top of Planning Scheme amendments has become a full-time job (in addition to a town planner’s full-time job!!).

Which is all good fun… if you happen to be a planning nerd.

Otherwise, it can feel like an exercise in mental calisthenics.

But these changes matter more than ever — particularly for developers, investors and landowners looking to understand the true potential and constraints of a site before making decisions.

If navigating constant planning changes is not your idea of fun, let Strategic Flipping do the heavy lifting for you.

We help clients understand:

• site potential
• planning constraints
• project feasibility
• and strategic development outcomes

so projects are approached with clarity, confidence and regulatory compliance from the outset.

Julie Bowyer