Practitioners should be aware that Victoria’s planning system is set for more significant reform following the passage of the Planning Amendment (Better Decisions Made Faster) Act 2026, which amends the Planning and Environment Act 1987.
These latest changes aim to streamline planning processes, improve transparency and accelerate decision-making. While the legislation has now passed Parliament, most operational changes affecting planning permit applications are not yet in force… But here is a summary of what practitioners can expect:
The new legislation introduces several structural changes to the planning framework. Most notably, it establishes a tiered system of permit applications, allowing planning schemes to classify applications as Type 1, Type 2 or Type 3, with different procedural pathways depending on the scale, complexity and impact of the proposal. Lower-impact proposals are intended to move through a simplified process with reduced notice requirements and limited opportunities for third-party participation, while higher-impact proposals will continue to follow the more traditional notice and objection pathway.
Other reforms include:
- New requirements for early engagement with traditional landowners
- Expanded transparency obligations for planning authorities
- Greater flexibility for councils to manage notification and consultation processes
- The reforms also introduce broader planning strategies at the state, regional and local levels, designed to improve alignment between strategic planning and development approvals.
Importantly for practitioners and applicants, the Act received Royal Assent in February 2026, but most provisions will commence on dates yet to be proclaimed. This means that the existing permit process under the Planning and Environment Act remains largely unchanged for now.
Implementation will occur progressively through new regulations and updates to planning schemes and the Victoria Planning Provisions. With the reforms expected to take 18–24 months.
The devil will undoubtedly be in the detail. Practitioners should stay tuned as the details of the new system rollout; we will bring you more updates.
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