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Improving Victoria’s planning system

Published 29 September 2011

In a bid to help improve planning in Victoria, Council is making a set of recommendations to the Victorian Planning System Ministerial Advisory Committee.

The role of the Committee is to undertake a review the entire planning system, including the provisions of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, State and local policy frameworks, the operation of zones and overlays, the use of incorporated and reference documents, and the way permit applications and rezoning requests are dealt with.

Mayor Cr Rachel Powning says Council’s submission makes a range of recommendations in relation to the Act, Victoria Planning Provisions and the permit and amendment processes.

“Council’s recommendations to the Advisory Committee seek to achieve four key principles. Firstly we want clearer leadership from the State Government, including on metropolitan wide issues such as climate change.

“We want to see improvements in the efficiency of the planning system, and more local autonomy in delivering State policy including local governments being able to determine how State policy will be delivered, relevant to local conditions.

“Council is also calling on the provision of contemporary planning tools to enable the effective delivery of planning strategies and responsiveness to current planning issues.”

On 15 June, the Minister for Planning established the expert Advisory Committee to review the planning system in Victoria and invited submissions from interested persons and organisations.

Council welcomes the review of the Victorian Planning system and considers this an opportunity for the State Government to modernise the current planning system. Council’s submission has been lodged with the Advisory Committee. The Committee will analyse and prioritise the issues raised, and prepare a priorities and recommendations preliminary report for the Minister by 30 November 2011.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Katie Elles, Media Adviser 9209 6163 0435 657 336 kelles@portphillip.vic.gov.au www.portphillip.vic.gov.au