Melanie Ellis’ Post

We recently helped secure a planning permit for a multi-dwelling development in Parkdale. We achieved a successful result, while also taking much less time than expected - a fantastic outcome for our client! Read the full success story on our blog: https://lnkd.in/gnrjdKdc If you've got a development planned, we'd love to assist! Please get in touch by giving us a call on 03 8595 4337 or by messaging me #ChangeofPlan #Planning #TownPlanning #MelbourneTownPlanning #CaseStudy #Development

Often people come to us looking for us to help them have a pre-application meeting with the council before they finalise and lodge their application. However, in my opinion, they have missed the first step, asking whether they should have a meeting at all! Sometimes they can be valuable, but other times really just a waste of time. This week I discuss what I think about before I decide to have a pre-application meeting for my projects and then the steps if you decide it is worthwhile. https://lnkd.in/gAwT6GZi #changeofplan #townplanning #townplanningmelbourne #council #preapplication #preapplicationmeeting #planningapplication #planning

Building a small second dwelling has just got easier in Melbourne with the promised changes to planning permits now in operation.

Keen to start some property development and wanting to know what tools I find useful? I have just written a post that discusses where I go every day for information when I'm doing research or preparing planning advice: https://lnkd.in/gBPCynsn #townplanning #townplanningresearch

Some councils have mandated Sustainable Design Assessments for multi-dwelling developments in recognition of the climate crisis, the need to reduce energy and water usage in new dwellings and to promote more sustainable building design. But what is an SDA? Follow the link to our blog to learn more about Sustainable Design Assessments in town planning: https://lnkd.in/guKKxpmE #changeofplan #townplanning #planningpermit #planningapplication #townplanningmelbourne #sustainability #sustainabledesign #sustainabledesignassessment #SDA #council #multidwelling

Recently I needed to assist a client with what could be included in the garden area calculation for a new development, so I thought it would be timely to post an article on it. https://lnkd.in/gdK9J_mW It is important to remember that the garden area requirements are mandatory for any dwelling constructions or additions, if the land is over 400sqm in size. Most Councils are using software to analyse plans to ensure metric compliance with the requirements. If the garden area requirements haven't been met then the plans will need to be amended to correct that or otherwise the proposal will have to be refused. So, something key to get right the first time!  

The Victorian government has released their housing statement, which is a 10 year plan on housing for the State. This plan includes a number of reforms to the planning system, with the first of these changes having been dropped last Friday. As well as changes to the big end of town, with an alternative pathway for developments with larger economic benefit and/or affordable housing component, there have also been some changes at the smaller end to try to address the bogged down system. Single dwelling applications in all planning schemes have been updated to remove a permit trigger and introduce a fast-track decision stream: * Removing the trigger for a planning permit associated with a single dwelling if the land is greater than 300sqm. Previously the Councils could specify in an area that a planning permit was required for land up to the size of 500sqm, but this is no longer applicable. Any Overlay permit triggers will continue to apply, so this will only affect developments with a single permit trigger. * Expanding the VicSmart applications to include the construction of single dwellings on lots less than 300sqm. Where certain criteria are met the application will qualify for this fast-track process. This means that the application will not be required to be advertised and should be decided much faster. Additionally, the State government indicated that they will be working on a “deemed to comply” assessment pathway for residential applications. This process has been started by simplifying the decision considerations for some of the existing ResCode Standards. More work is set to be done on the remaining standards in order to fulfill this promise. Other changes have been indicated in the House Statement, but little detail has been provided yet on how they will be achieved or when they will be available. This includes clearing the backlog of existing applications and making it easier to build a second dwelling of up to 60sqm in size.  You can read the Housing Statement at https://lnkd.in/gZRVCitS. It is a positive move to remove/simplify some of the smaller planning permit triggers to make it easier for people to extend or replace their house. Hopefully this will have a positive impact on the planning system and help reduce the number of applications so that councils can start progressing applications faster. We wait to see how other changes will be enacted and what impact that will have on housing in the State.

Recently I was providing some initial advice to a prospective client and had what some might think was a disappointing outcome. However, to me I see it as a sign that I'm doing things right!  The prospective client was wanting a quote on a planning application. They had tried in the past for themselves and didn't have a positive outcome, and were hoping that engaging a town planner would assure them of success.  I always seek to understand what a client is wanting to achieve, and what obstacles might get in the way so that I can give honest and realistic advice. In undertaking a preliminary review of the situation and planning controls, in this circumstance I could see that the application might not go in their favour, there was a significant risk that it would still be refused. I carefully explained the risks and potential scenarios to them.  And the outcome?  They have decided on the basis of this advice, together with considering the potential costs involved, that they won't proceed with the planning application. While it is always disappointing to not "win" a project, I'm pleased that my advice has been useful to them.  I won't prioritise winning a sale over giving honest advice and I look for that same honesty with all the people I interact with.