One Planner's Archive





Discussion Papers & Articles

Victoria's New Residential Zones
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
Calculating Council's 60 Day Timeframe
Applying for Costs at VCAT
Amending a Planning Permit



Signage: Zone vs Overlay categories

In PPH Developments Pty Ltd v Yarra Ranges SC (Red Dot) (corrected) [2022] VCAT 446 the Tribunal considered an application to amend an existing planning permit, including amendments to conditions to allow internally illuminated signage. The original permit included a condition that no business identification signage be internally illuminated.

Objectors’ (lack of) Appeal Rights

In Myers v Southern Grampians SC (Red Dot) [2022] VCAT 695 the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (“the Tribunal”) considered the jurisdiction of the Tribunal in an application under Section 82(1) of the Planning and Environment Act (“the Act”). Section 82(1) relates to an objector making an appeal to the Tribunal to review a decision to grant a planning permit.

Stage 4 Lockdown: Councils & VCAT

VCAT has confirmed that, although they remain closed to the public, it is business as ‘Covid-usual’. They will continue to receive and process new applications as well as hear matters remotely, as scheduled. Most Council planning departments have already moved to a ‘working from home model’

VCAT Reforms in 2020

On 1 July 2020 the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) announced new initiatives as part of its Planning and Environmental Division (PED) reforms. The reforms are part of the PED’s digitising processes to transition from existing manual and hardcopy-based systems to digital solutions. VCAT suspended all in-person hearings in March 2020 to safeguard the wellbeing of its staff and the general public and have since implemented telephone and virtual online hearings and conferences.