Weekly wrap: Affordable housing, MSA, Western Grasslands Reserve & more

26 Jun 2020

, News

Advocacy win: Fixing flammable cladding faster.

The Victorian Government will fast-track the rectification of buildings with dangerous cladding to make them safer, sooner. 

The Government’s $600 million plan to fix flammable cladding was originally designed to rectify up to 100 buildings per year. However, the Government this week announced the world-first program will be accelerated to work closely with industry, with work to start on up to 400 buildings within two years.

Click here for more information about the program.


Affordable housing.

This week the Affordable Housing Industry Advisory Group (AHIAG), of which UDIA Victoria is a key member, delivered a call to government for a bold new plan for social and affordable housing.

Click here to read the AHIAG letter to the Premier.

Click here to read the AHIAG media release: Property and development industry join forces with community housing sector to call for a strategic approach to Social and Affordable Housing investment

MSA (Environment Mitigation Levy) Act 2020.

The Melbourne Strategic Assessment (Environment Mitigation Levy) Act 2020 comes into effect on 1 July 2020. A new MSA ServiceHub is also set to start running July 1. Click here for more information.

Western Grasslands Reserve.

A Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO) Report tabled in Parliament on 17 June 2020 looked at whether the management of native vegetation clearing is protecting state and nationally significant native vegetation in the extended urban growth boundary areas. VAGO focused on the Melbourne Strategic Assessment. Under this program, Victoria committed to establishing two grassland reserves by 2020 to offset native vegetation lost due to development in Melbourne’s extended urban growth boundary. 

VAGO found that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning had not met its requirements to deliver the Western Grasslands Reserve by 2020.

Click here to read the VAGO overview.

Click here to view the VAGO report tabled in Parliament.

Better outcomes for two dwellings on a lot.

Moreland Council is proposing an amendment to the Moreland Planning Scheme. The land affected by the amendment is all land in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone and General Residential Zone. The amendment proposes to introduce an additional class of application into the VicSmart provisions to construct a dwelling if there is one dwelling existing on the lot or to construct two new dwellings on a lot.

UDIA Victoria has responded to the Council’s Planning Scheme Amendment C190 addressing the important issues associated with increasing dwelling supply in Moreland.

Click here to read our submission.

Small Lot Housing Code.

The new Small Lot Housing Code has been gazetted in Victoria. Click here for more information.

Aboriginal Heritage Review.

The Aboriginal Heritage Review is accepting submissions until Wednesday 30 September 2020. The UDIA Victoria Planning Committee will lead our response with support from our Greenfield Committee and input from others including our regional UDIA chapters.

Click here for more information on the Aboriginal Heritage Review.

Protections for the Yarra River.

The Victorian Government is introducing permanent planning controls to protect the river’s banks and improve water quality. Click here for more information.

Government update.

The Victorian Premier has announced a major reshuffle of cabinet positions to align the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery.

UDIA Victoria specifically welcomes Martin Pakula’s appointment to the key portfolio of Industry Support and Recovery and new responsibilities to help Victorian businesses navigate restrictions and restart their operations in a COVID-safe economy, and delivering targeted support for our key job-creating sectors.

Click here for more information.