Inquiry into the protections within the Victorian Planning Framework

On 28 October 2020 the Legislative Council agreed to the following motion:

That this House requires the Environment and Planning Committee to inquire into, consider and report, by June 2022, on the adequacy of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the Victorian planning framework in relation to planning and heritage protection, and in particular the Committee is to examine —

(1) the high cost of housing, including but not limited to —    
(a) provision of social housing;    
(b) access for first home buyers;    
(c) the cost of rental accommodation;    
(d) population policy, state and local;    
(e) factors encouraging housing as an investment vehicle;    
(f) mandatory affordable housing in new housing developments;

(2) environmental sustainability and vegetation protection;

(3) delivering certainty and fairness in planning decisions for communities, including but not limited to —    
(a) mandatory height limits and minimum apartment sizes;    
(b) protecting Green Wedges and the urban growth boundary;    
(c) community concerns about VCAT appeal processes;
(d) protecting third party appeal rights;
(e) the role of Ministerial call-ins;

(4) protecting heritage in Victoria, including but not limited to — 
(a) the adequacy of current criteria and processes for heritage protection;
(b) possible federal involvement in heritage protection;
(c) separating heritage protection from the planning administration;
(d) establishing a heritage tribunal to hear heritage appeals;
(e) the appointment of independent local and state heritage advisers;
(f) the role of Councils in heritage protection;
(g) penalties for illegal demolitions and tree removals;

(5) ensuring residential zones are delivering the type of housing that communities want; and

(6) any other matter the Committee considers relevant.