Feature Image: Map of Victoria. Source: Department of Transport & Planning

It’s been a big month for planning in Victoria, and the National Trust has received a surge of enquiries from community members and heritage groups concerned for what proposed planning system changes will mean for local heritage protections.

Following the February release of the Plan for Victoria—the State government’s new strategic blueprint for land use and development—the Victorian planning system is undergoing sweeping reforms. Key changes include the launch of the Great Design Fast Track program and a suite of amendments to the Victorian Planning Provisions for all local Planning Schemes.

In principle, we recognise the need for, and support, increased housing in our suburbs, to provide for the State’s growing population. While these reforms are aimed at unlocking housing supply, streamlining approvals, and supporting sustainability, the National Trust has been disappointed with the lack of information and guidelines on how heritage values will be considered. Although the Plan for Victoria commits to ‘preserve Victoria’s rich and diverse cultural heritage by protecting significant sites and precincts,’ this does not address the need to incentivise the ongoing use and respectful adaptations for heritage places.

The Great Design Fast Track 

The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) recently introduced the Great Design Fast Track program, a new initiative to accelerate planning approvals for projects that demonstrate “great design.” The program includes seven Great Design Principles, developed in partnership with the Office of the Victorian Government Architect, and outlines criteria for a development to qualify as ‘good design’ and be eligible for fast tracking. The criteria emphasise liveability, sustainability, high-quality architecture, and alignment with state priorities like housing and economic growth.

The National Trust has been concerned to find no meaningful reference to heritage buildings or the adaptive reuse of existing building stock in these principles. We believe this is a missed opportunity, as adaptive reuse is not only critical for the ongoing use and therefore protection of heritage buildings— but is also a proven asset for delivering more sustainable, lower-impact development to support increased housing density.

We are calling for greater clarity from the state government on whether adaptive reuse and infill within heritage buildings or precincts will be incorporated into design principles and guidelines for the Fast Track process. In the context of density targets and climate goals, reusing what we already have is more than just good design—it’s common sense.

Additionally, community members and local councils can currently nominate exemplary projects to be showcased in a new State Design Book, with the nomination survey open until 8 June 2025.

The National Trust is seeking guidance to clarify whether nominations that highlight the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings would align with the eligibility criteria for this consultation.

Planning Amendments 

Three major planning scheme amendments—VC257, VC267, and VC274—have recently been approved by the Minister for Planning and are now the subject of a Parliamentary Inquiry on whether they align with the objectives of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. The amendments will apply to all planning schemes in Victoria, and each aims to fast-track aspects of development to support housing, renewable energy, and infrastructure goals, associated with ‘activity centres’ introduced in the Plan for Victoria.

• VC257: introduces a new overlay and a new zone to support housing and removes the need for planning permits for certain social and affordable housing developments, especially those funded by Homes Victoria.

• VC267: facilitates renewable energy development with fewer planning barriers.  Streamlines the planning assessment process for residential developments and encourages ‘good design’ for medium density housing.

• VC274: introduces a new Precinct zone to support housing and economic growth in nominated areas, particularly in Suburban Rail Loop precincts and promotes medium-density housing in established suburbs by relaxing neighbourhood character requirements in residential zones.

The National Trust has been glad to see these amendments deliver on our calls for sustainability in urban areas, such as new standards for canopy trees. However, there is a lack of guidance and clarity on how Heritage Overlays or significant streetscapes will be considered.

Public submissions to the Inquiry into Victoria Planning Provisions amendments VC257, VC267 and VC274 are now open and will close 24 April 2025.

Public hearings for the Inquiry begin on 17 April 2025, the schedule can be viewed here.

Local Push Back 

Several local councils have responded particularly to amendments VC257 and VC267 with formal disallowance motions expressing opposition and calling for a rethink of the amendments. While these motions are symbolic unless upheld by Parliament, they reflect growing anxiety that failing to acknowledge the contributions of heritage places in these reforms risks undermining nuanced, place-based planning.

Furthermore, these calls align with our TIMBY (Thoughtfully In My Back Yard) approach. At NTAV, we believe thoughtful, place-based planning is essential—not only for heritage values, but for good urban design and sustainability outcomes—ensuring change enhances, rather than ignores or erases, what makes places liveable and distinctive

Understanding context, especially that of a place’s cultural heritage and community, results in more inclusive design and retains the identity of individual places and neighbourhoods through change.

Where to From Here? 

The National Trust believes the push for planning reform doesn’t have to come at the cost of heritage, which in fact can offer sustainable and time-saving solutions to the State government’s density targets.

Moreover, the aims of preserving Victoria’s rich and diverse cultural heritage cannot be achieved through planning protections alone, such as Heritage Overlays. Incentives to activate and use existing heritage buildings is crucial to the ongoing survival of heritage places. To ensure heritage does not continue to be seen as a barrier to development and increased housing supply, clearer guidance must be provided on how Heritage Overlays is to be incorporated into the Plan for Victoria reforms.

The National Trust continues to monitor developments, and we will keep sharing updates—and what they mean for our cultural heritage — as they unfold.