Regional and Rural Planning Flying Squad
The Rural Council Planning Flying Squad was launched in November 2011 to provide advice and assistance to regional and rural councils.
The Flying Squad will provide specialist expert and technical assistance on issues such as major projects and developments, long-term land use issues, strategic plans as well as immediate planning support with planning permit and amendment work.
The Flying Squad has received funding of $2.8 million over 3 years to June 2014.
On this page:
- Applications for assistance
- Types of assistance available
- Allocation of funding
- More information and contacts
Applications for assistance
Applications for assistance are now being sought from rural and regional councils, closing in June 2014.
Application form:
- Flying Squad Application form for rural and regional councils (DOC - 132 KB)
- Flying Squad Application form for rural and regional councils (PDF - 46 KB)
The program is not subject to a traditional grants application process. A flexible and responsive program has been designed to provide councils with appropriate and prompt expertise.
Councils are encouraged to discuss their needs with the Planning and Development Manager at a DPCD Regional Office prior to submission of an application for assistance.
Read the sample form for guidelines on how to fill in the application form:
Types of assistance available
The type of assistance provided will vary for each council depending on local needs. Most services will be provided by consultants managed by the Department and supplemented with three senior departmental planners.
The Flying Squad will:
- assist with advice, discussions and assessments regarding major project development proposals and applications
- provide targeted advice and / or assistance with longer term land use issues and plans for the municipality
- provide specialist assistance on wind farm applications
- help to process planning scheme amendments and authorisation requests in peak periods or when council planning officers are not available
- provide occasional assistance to help process planning permit applications to enable councils to meet 60 day statutory time frames in peak periods or when council planning officers are not available
- prepare draft submissions/presentations to VCAT
- prepare draft submissions/presentations to Planning Panels Victoria.
Allocation of funding
Funds will be allocated based on the efficient and effective use of resources , where it can be clearly demonstrated what benefits will be achieved. This may include improved systems and processes, enabling resources to be focused on strategic work, the clearing of a backlog of work and improvements in meeting statutory timeframes. The program is not designed to backfill vacant staff positions or replace Council’s strategic work program.
Requests for assistance will be initially assessed by the Department’s local Regional Planning and Development Manager. A recommendation will be made to the Assistant Director Regional Projects who will have responsibility for approving projects and procurement of services.
Following agreement on the best to way to progress assistance, councils will work with the DPCD Planning and Development Manager to develop a scope of works for the project. Specific needs will then be matched against available resources.
More information and contacts
Councils are encouraged to discuss application proposals with the Planning and Development Manager at the relevant DPCD’s Regional Office before applying for assistance.
A full list of our regional offices is available on our Contact Planning page
You may also contact the Flying Squad Project Manager via email at flying.squad@dpcd.vic.gov.au or phone (03) 9098 8903.