_Cutting more ‘red tape’ for Community Care Accommodation

Since the introduction of clause 52.22 for community care accommodation (CCA) into the Victorian Planning Provisions (VPP), Collie has provided town planning advice to clients for specialist disability accommodation (SDA) developments, which are a type of community care accommodation. 

The purpose of SDA is to provide tailored accommodation to enable people with specialist disability needs to live independently whilst receiving support from an on-site carer. 

Clause 52.22 is intended to exempt development and use for CCA, that is funded by on behalf of a government department or public authority, from requiring a planning permit where specific planning requirements that limit the scale and intensity of the development are met.  The purpose of this clause is to ‘fast-track’ the delivery of this much needed accommodation whilst maintaining the confidentiality of future CCA residents. 

Despite the best intentions of clause 52.22, a car parking rate is not specified in clause 52.06 of the VPP and therefore, irrespective of complying CCA being exempt from a planning permit, the provision of car parking needs to be approved in every case to the satisfaction of the responsible authority.  As a result, development for CCA has been delayed by the need to obtain planning approval for the provision of car parking, which for what is a reasonably straightforward request, can take months. 

It is our view that changes to the car parking provisions in clause 52.06, by specifying a car parking rate for CCA, is a simple and necessary way to remove red tape. 

For discussion at another time, we also believe that exemptions for buildings and works should be considered where CCA is not funded by on behalf of a government department or public authority, provided sufficient safeguards are put in place.