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{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change location'Great Design Fast Track' should encourage more gentle density (Vic)
'Great Design Fast Track' should encourage more gentle density (Vic)
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The Victorian government has announced that applications are open through the Development Facilitation Program for this new streamlined planning pathway. Projects with more than 8 homes in buildings between two and eight storeys that meet the government’s design principles will quality for this pathway.
“Universally it is accepted that planning systems are buckling under the weight of approving homes in the timelines that are needed. Equally it is accepted that business as usual approaches to planning for our future communities isn’t going to cut it.
“It has been pleasing to see the Victorian government put forward new initiatives to seek to bring more projects online faster but, in reality we need the pedal to the metal to pull out all stops to get more new land and projects online faster. This initiative is but a step in the right direction.
“Good quality, well designed and well-located apartments have an important role to play in addressing the state’s housing shortage. HIA supports initiatives such as this with the aim of to encourage and fostering the quicker delivery of lower and medium density housing to market.
“Given that these applications have input from the Office of the Victorian Government Architect and Invest Victoria, we think exempting them from review rights is a fair and measured response. The Minister will have the information needed to make a responsible decision. Provisions that reduce notification and appeal rights where a robust decision-making process has been put in place have existed in the planning system for many years and are nothing to be afraid of.
“It is noted however that any applicant wanting to lodge an application under these new provisions will need to provide a lot of detailed design. It is anticipated this may create a lag in the uptake of this initiative as industry prepares. We hope that these requirements won’t prove too demanding in practice and meet the needs of home buyers.
“In other countries where standard design or pattern book designs have been effective in streamlining and fast-tracking approvals, the designs have been outcomes based rather than an overly prescriptive design recipe book.
“We all know of the need to ensure 800,000 new homes are built in the coming decade. There remain numerous regulatory barriers and difficulties the industry faces in achieving this. We urge the Victorian government to continue with further initiatives that allow the home building industry to build the new homes that Victoria needs,” concluded Mr Ryan.
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