About planning schemes
Planning schemes set out policies and provisions for the use, development and protection of land. Each local government area in Victoria, and some special planning areas, is covered by a planning scheme.
Planning schemes are legal documents prepared by the local council or the Minister for Planning, and approved by the Minister.
On this page:
- Who and what is affected by a planning scheme?
- Who is exempt?
- Who administers a planning scheme?
- What is the role of the Minister?
- Where can I get information about a planning scheme?
- What do planning schemes consist of?
- What are the Victoria Planning Provisions?
- Local planning provisions
- How can a planning scheme be changed?
Who and what is affected by a planning scheme?
Planning schemes can apply to all private and public land in Victoria. A planning scheme is generally binding on all people and corporations, on every Minister, government department, public authority and local council.
Who is exempt?
Some exemptions do apply. These relate to existing use rights, exemptions declared under Section 16 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, Commonwealth land and permanently reserved Crown land.
Who administers a planning scheme?
The administration and enforcement of a planning scheme is the duty of a responsible authority. In most cases this will be a local council, but it can be the Minister administering the Planning and Environment Act 1987 or any other Minister or public authority specified in the scheme.
Changes to the planning scheme may be made by both the Minister for Planning and the local council.
What is the role of the Minister?
From time to time, the Minister for Planning issues directions to planning authorities about the preparation of planning schemes and amendments to planning schemes. These help to ensure that planning schemes are prepared in a consistent and technically correct way.
The Minister can also, in certain circumstances, intervene on matters associated with planning and heritage processes, for example amending a planning scheme.
These powers are provided for under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, the Heritage Act 1995 and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998.
More information on The Role of the Minister
Where can I get information about a planning scheme?
The Act requires the responsible authority and municipal council, and anybody else specified by the Minister to maintain an up-to-date copy of the planning scheme, including all amendments to it and documents referred to in the scheme. The scheme and any accompanying documentation must be made available free of charge for public inspection during office hours.
Planning schemes may also be viewed on Planning Schemes Online. Planning Maps Online, Planning Certificates and Planning Property Reports provide property-based planning scheme information.
More on getting information about planning schemes
What do planning schemes consist of?
Planning schemes consist of maps, which show how the land is zoned and overlays affecting the land; an ordinance, which sets out the written requirements of a scheme, including local policies and the types of use or development which needs a permit; and incorporated documents - such as the Code of Practice for Private Tennis Court Development.
Zones reflect the primary character of land, such as residential, industrial or rural, and indicate the type of use which may be appropriate in that zone.
Sometimes, local areas have special planning controls (known as overlays), such as areas of significant vegetation or special heritage significance. These controls are in addition to the zone controls and ensure that important aspects of the land are recognised.
More information on the structure of planning schemes
What are the Victoria Planning Provisions?
The Planning and Environment Act 1987 distinguishes between the Victoria Planning Provisions (VPP) and a planning scheme.
The Victoria Planning Provisions is a document containing a comprehensive set of planning provisions for Victoria. It is not a planning scheme and does not apply to any land. It is a statewide reference, used as required, to construct planning schemes.
The planning authority (usually the local council) must provide the local planning policy content, including a Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS), and select the appropriate zones and overlays from the VPP, for inclusion in their planning scheme. The VPP also has references to a number of incorporated documents. Some parts of the VPP, such as state policies, are included in every planning scheme.
When any provision in the VPP is amended, all planning schemes containing that provision are also amended. Only the Minister for Planning can amend the VPP.
More information on Victoria Planning Provisions
Local planning provisions
Planning scheme content specific to the local area (local provisions) contained in the Municipal Strategic Statement, local policies and schedules and is displayed in Planning Schemes Online.
How can a planning scheme be changed?
Councils can decide to amend a planning scheme to achieve a desirable planning outcome or to support a new policy direction. The process for changing a planning scheme must be followed exactly and involves anyone who may have an interest in the amendment, or be affected by it.
Amendments currently on exhibition or very recently approved can be viewed from the Amendments on Exhibition page. Current or recently approved amendments can be viewed on Planning Scheme Amendments Online.