Planning with Confidence: Navigating Planning Reforms in Victoria and New South Wales

The planning frameworks in Victoria and New South Wales are evolving rapidly. Join Landchecker and leading experts from Ratio as we explore new policy directions, what they mean for the property industry, and how you can navigate the evolving landscape using digital tools like Landchecker.

In this webinar, you’ll learn…

An overview of the Great Design Fast Track (Clause 53.25)

What are the key HCTZ provisions and new zones in Vic

The changes to Clause 55 of Victorian planning schemes

A detailed demonstration of the HCTZ zone in Camberwell

5 important caveats and exclusions for LMR controls

How to use Landchecker to view TOD sites in Lindfield, Mortdale and Kingsford

Whether you're a developer, planner or consultant, this session will help you stay ahead with actionable insights and smarter workflows.

Summary

Planning Reforms in Victoria Presented by Will Bromhead (Ratio)

Victoria is experiencing a housing crisis, and the state aims to deliver 800,000 new dwellings by 2034.

Only ~60,000 dwellings were delivered in the first year, prompting urgent reforms.

The Victorian Government, under Minister for Planning Sonia Kilkenny, is aggressively pursuing reform to encourage density around transport and commercial hubs.

Great Design Fast Track (Clause 53.25)

Applies to developments 2–8 storeys with more than 8 dwellings.

Must achieve exemplary environmental and design standards, supported by the Office of the Victorian Government Architect (OVGA).

Enables removal of height, setback, and garden area controls, depending on zone:

NRZ: up to 3 storeys

GRZ: up to 4 storeys

RGZ: up to 6 storeys

Activity Centres & Housing Choice and Transport Zones (HCTZ)

The first 10 activity centres have finalised structure plans (e.g., Camberwell Junction, Broadmeadows, Frankston, Preston, Ringwood).

60 activity centres in total:

25 currently on exhibition (mid-2025 implementation)

Next 25 to exhibit in September–October 2025

Key HCTZ Provisions

Core area: up to 6 storeys on large sites (1,000m²+ with 20m+ frontage).

Transition zones:

Inner ring: 4 storeys, up to 6 on large sites.

Outer ring: 3 storeys, up to 4 on large sites.

No garden area requirement and increased site coverage allowed.

Zones incentivise site consolidation to unlock development potential.

New Residential Code (Clause 55)

Moves from subjective neighbourhood character to quantifiable standards.

Introduces 30 Deemed-to-Comply standards for developments up to 3 storeys.

12 key standards (e.g., setbacks, site coverage) exempt developments from third-party appeal rights (though objections may still be lodged).

Clause 54 (single dwellings) is expected to align with Clause 55 in July 2025.

Live Demonstration Using Landchecker

1. Camberwell, VIC

Focus: Housing Choice & Transport Zone (HCTZ)

Layers Activated:

HCTZ planning zone

Heritage overlay

Site Finder filter:

Land size - 1,000m²

Despite broad HCTZ coverage, Heritage Overlays significantly restrict viable development parcels in Camberwell.

Planning Reforms in Victoria Presented by Ian Cady

Low and Mid-Rise Housing Reforms (Chapter 6 – Housing SEPP)

Focused on unlocking density within 400m and 800m walking distances of train stations and town centres.

Standards are non-discretionary if met, and override lot size/width minimums.

Important Caveats and Exclusions for LMR

The following land will be excluded:

Bushfire Prone Land

Coastal Vulnerability Areas/Coastal Wetlands/Littoral Forests

Heritage Items

Bathurst, Blue Mountains, Hawksbury, Wollondilly LGAs

Flood Prone Land in Georges River Catchment and 'Flood Planning Areas' in other specific LGAs

Land in an ANEF contour (Airport Noise)

Land within 200m of a relevant pipeline as defined in the SEPP (T&I)

Land already declared as TOD centres

TOD Precincts (Chapter 5)

31 TOD station areas and 8 accelerated precincts already have updated planning controls.

These override the newer LMR provisions and come with distinct height/FSR guidelines.

Critical Compliance Factor – Walking Distance

Eligibility is determined by actual walkable distance, not straight-line.

Applicants must follow pedestrian paths, footpaths, and crossings.

No flexibility – if a property is 401m away, it is outside the 400m zone.

Live Demonstration Using Landchecker

1. Lindfield, NSW

Focus: LMR applicability vs TOD zoning

Layers Activated:

Low and Mid Rise Housing Zone

TOD Station Overlay (exclusion zone)

Bushfire-prone land

The LMR zone is shown to apply broadly in Lindfield, but the inner 400m circle is excluded due to TOD status. Bushfire overlays further reduce eligible parcels on the eastern edge.

2. Mortdale, NSW

Focus: Impact of Flooding

Layers Activated:

LMR zone

Flood-prone land (Georges River)

Large sections of the LMR zone are ineligible due to flood overlay, reinforcing the importance of cross-referencing environmental constraints.

3. Kingsford, NSW

Focus: Impact of updated Aircraft Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) mapping

Layers Activated:

LMR Zone

Aircraft Noise Contours (ANEF 20 & ANEF 25)

Previously, the ANEF 20 contour excluded large areas (light yellow). Recent update (as of June 2025) shifted the exclusion threshold to ANEF 25, re-including Kingsford and nearby suburbs (Eastgardens, Daceyville) within LMR eligibility.

4. 454 Peats Ferry Road, Asquith NSW 2077

Focus: Development uplift potential near the station

Layers Activated:

LMR Zone

Development Application (DA) layer

Distance Tool

The site is ~180m from the station, qualifying for 2.2:1 FSR and 6-storey height under LMR. No overlays affecting development (e.g., no ANEF, bushfire, or flood layers).

The surrounding sites show a surge in DA activity, suggesting investor awareness of uplift.

Noted that even recently approved developments may now reconsider or revise their proposals to maximise new development rights.

Key Takeaways

There are significant uplift opportunities around designated activity centres in Vic, especially on large consolidated sites. Reforms are shifting toward measurable, objective criteria to increase certainty and reduce delays.

LMR provisions in NSW provide a valuable uplift mechanism, but eligibility is precise regarding walking distances and environmental constraints.

Landchecker proved to be a critical digital tool in filtering viable development sites by layering zones, overlays, and spatial measurements to assess the planning potential of a specific site.