_FINALLY MY PERMIT

There are some interesting statistics from the Victorian Planning Permit Activity Annual Report for the 2013 / 2014.

• 56,411 planning permit applications were lodged in Victoria, which represents a 9.1 per cent increase (or a 14.4 per cent increase for metropolitan Melbourne) from the previous financial year.
• The Municipalities of Mornington Peninsula and Boroondara had the highest number of planning permit applications.
• The number of applications decided was similar to the 2012 / 2013 financial year.
• 67 per cent of all applications were decided within 60 day.
• The median number of days for a responsible authority to determine an application was 76 days and the average number of days was 122.
• The estimated cost of works under planning permits issued is $19.8 billion.

Interestingly, the number of reviews lodged at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) was 1,363, a 30.2 per cent reduction from the previous year.  We expect that this reduction may be a result of the increases to VCAT fees that commenced in 2013.

The greatest increase in the number of planning permits lodged was in the inner and middle metropolitan municipalities of Melbourne where a 21.6 per cent increase occurred.  We expect that part of the reason for the increase is related to the introduction of the new residential zones.  A large number of applications were lodged just before the date when all land located in the Residential 1, 2 and 3 zones was to be rezoned to one of the three new residential zones.  The Municipalities of Darebin, Boroondara, Bayside, Moreland, Whitehorse and Yarra all received a greater than average number of applications.  Given the influx of applications at the end of the financial year, it will be interesting to see whether the time taken to determine an application will increase in the report for this financial year.

Enquiries to Tessa Bond on 03 8698 9300 or txb@colliepl.com.au