Melton planning
Trung LUU (Western Metropolitan) (17:41): (1077) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Planning and regards approval rates for stormwater drainage systems in the western suburbs, in my electorate. The action I seek is for the minister to commit to reducing red tape and addressing the delay in approval rates for these stormwater systems in the Melton City Council region. Recent correspondence between developers, councils and Melbourne Water concluded that several large residential properties in the outer suburbs have been delayed by at least between nine and 12 months due to Melbourne Water’s backlogs in stormwater drainage system approvals and a lack of resources to properly address the queue. The government has outlined a plan to build 132,000 new homes in the Melton City Council region by 2050, and an estimated 1000 homes have already been affected by these delays. How can Premier Allan seriously deliver cheaper housing options to people in the outer suburbs when delays like these are going on? A clearer option and solution would be to cut the red tape and impose caps on the time taken to approve drainage plans. This would not only provide an incentive for Melbourne Water to reduce regulatory delay but also speed up the approval process, delivering thousands of cheaper and more accessible homes in the western suburbs, in my electorate. So I ask the minister: will the Allan government commit to reducing red tape and addressing the delay in approval rates for stormwater systems in the Melton City Council region to help deliver cheaper homes to families and make the west a more livable, affordable place for all Victorians?