The impact of planning ‘reform’ on the Victorian land use planning system

Abstract

Victorian governments have redesigned the Victorian land use planning system progressively since 1996. The main features are the imposition of centralised, statewide enabling provisions designed to deregulate the planning approvals system coupled with substantial increases in ministerial power. A first stage of system deregulation, introduced in 1996–1999, proved to be counterproductive, causing higher costs, delays, uncertainty and increased complexity because of increased discretion over development approvals and complex layered provisions. A second stage, introduced in 2013, reduces discretion and prohibitions by increasing the number of uses and developments not requiring planning approval. This second stage has been strongly influenced by a national planning reform agenda being implemented in Australian states. The Victorian neoliberal planning system renders metropolitan strategy redundant with important implications for future city functioning, spatial and social division and environmental quality.