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News>Changes to planning zones
| The planning scheme zones land for particular uses, for example, residential, industrial, business or other. The zones are listed in the planning scheme and each zone has a purpose and set of requirements. This information will describe if a planning permit is required, and the matters that the council must consider before deciding to grant a permit. A zone may also specify information that must be submitted with a planning permit application. The zone also contains information relating to land uses, subdivision of land, construction of new buildings and other changes to the land.
On 11 July 2012 the Minister for Planning, announced that the planning zones are being reformed to ensure that they are still relevant and adequately reflect the aspirations of all Victorians.
The zone reforms seek to:
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simplify requirements
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allow a broader range of activities to be considered
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improve the range of zones to better manage growth.
What is changing?
The reforms propose to:
Create five new zones
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Amend 12 existing zones |
Delete nine existing zones |
Residential Growth Zone
General Residential Zone
Neighbourhood Residential Zone
Commercial 1 Zone
Commercial 2 Zone |
Low Density Residential Zone
Mixed Use Zone
Township Zone
Rural Living Zone
Green Wedge Zone
Green Wedge A Zone
Rural Conservation Zone
Farming Zone
Rural Activity Zone
Industrial 1 Zone
Industrial 2 Zone
Industrial 3 Zone |
Residential 1 Zone
Residential 2 Zone
Residential 3 Zone
Business 1 Zone
Business 2 Zone
Business 3 Zone
Business 4 Zone
Business 5 Zone
Priority Development Zone |
Find out more about the zone reforms:
Providing feedback
The Government is seeking comment from Councils, organisations and the community to help finalise the reformed zones.
Your comment to the Government is sought by 5.00 p.m. on 21 September 2012. For enquiries to the Government please contact the Victorian Government Contact Centre on 1300 366 356
Council is also interested in your thoughts. Let us know your thoughts on the proposed changea and what it means for you by:
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Email: strategicplanning@kingston.vic.gov.au
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Write: Strategic Planning Team, City of Kingston PO BOX 1000, Mentone 3194
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Facebook: City-of-Kingston
So that we have time to prepare our submission by the deadline we need to hear from you by 5.00 p.m. on Monday 6 August 2012.
Below is a summary of the proposed new zones and how they are different from the existing zones.
Reformed residential zones
What changes are proposed?
The existing Residential 1 Zone, Residential 2 Zone and Residential 3 Zone are to be replaced by three new residential zones:
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The Residential Growth Zone
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The General Residential Zone
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The Neighbourhood Residential Zone.
Changes are also proposed to the existing Mixed Use Zone, Township Zone and Low Density Residential Zone, to align them with the features of the new residential zones.
The City of Kingston has not yet assessed how or where the new zones will be applied. We will undertake a review of existing policies and zones to guide the transition to the new zones. Clause 21.05 of the Kingston Planning Scheme sets out a Residential Land Use Framework Plan and identifies areas for:
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Incremental Housing Change
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Increased Housing Diversity
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Areas for Residential Renewal
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Areas for Minimal Housing Change
The City of Kingston Planning Scheme has two residential Zones, the Residential 1 Zone and the Residential 3 Zone.
Basic differences between the existing and proposed residential zones are as follows:
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Residential 1 |
Residential Growth |
Residential 3 |
Residential 3 |
General Residential |
Neighbourhood Residential |
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Policy |
Increased housing diversity - development at a range of densities with a variety of dwellings |
Encourage change |
Incremental - development at a range of densities with a variety of dwellings or |
Minimal change - Renovation and replacement of existing housing stock will be the focus |
Preserve character, modest growth |
Restrict growth in preservation areas |
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Height limit |
No height |
12.5m except with council approval |
9m |
9m |
9m except with council approval |
9m except with council approval |
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Type of Housing |
new well-designed multi dwelling housing be developed in locations accessible to public transport and activity centres |
Medium to high density |
maintaining a predominantly single dwelling character with the equivalent of some dual occupancy development on average sized lots |
Predominantly single dwellings |
A mixture of single dwellings, dual occupancies with some villa units and in limited circumstances town houses, where appropriate |
Predominantly single dwellings, dual occupancies, villa units and town houses |
Note: Existing Residential 3 Zone includes areas of Incremental Housing Change and areas for Minimal Housing change in accordance with Clause 22.11 of the Kingston Planning Scheme.
Go to the zone pages below to view the proposed residential zones:
Reformed commercial zones
What changes are proposed?
The five existing business zones are proposed to be consolidated into two new commercial zones:
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The Commercial 1 Zone is proposed to replace the Business 1, Business 2 and Business 5 Zones.
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The Commercial 2 Zone is proposed to replace the Business 3 and Business 4 Zones.
The new Commercial 1 Zone broadens the range of activities that land can be used for without the need for a planning permit and removes floor area restrictions.
The new Commercial 2 Zone provides more opportunities for office, retail and commercial activity. Floor area restrictions for office and retail uses are removed to create new opportunities for office and retail growth.
The Priority Development Zone will also be removed from the Victoria Planning Provisions and all planning schemes. The City of Kingston does not have any areas within the municiaplity zoned Priority Development.
Go to the zone pages below to view the proposed commercial zones:
Reformed rural zones
What changes are proposed?
The existing rural and green wedge zones are proposed to be amended to:
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Support agricultureby making most agricultural uses ‘as of right’ instead of needing a planning permit.
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Respect the rights of farmersby removing permit requirements for farming related development such as netting and crop support structures and increasing the farm building threshold exemptions.
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Provide flexibility for farmersby allowing for the sale of farm produce without the need for a planning permit and removing restrictions on the sale of processed produce. For example, an olive farmer can sell bottled olive oil to complement the sale of fresh olives.
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Facilitate retail businessby removing the prohibition on complementary retail uses, such as proposals for landscape gardening supplies.
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Facilitate tourism usesby reducing or removing permit requirements relating to tourism uses. For example, a residential hotel no longer has to be in conjunction with an agricultural use.
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Make prohibited uses discretionaryin all the rural zones. For example, allowing a primary school or secondary school to be considered in a Rural Conservation Zone.
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Cut red tapefor dwelling additions and outbuildings by increasing the permit exemption threshold for altering or extending an existing dwelling.
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Provide flexibility for future subdivisionby removing the limitation in all rural zones on future applications to subdivide a lot after an initial subdivision has been approved.
Go to the zone pages below to view the proposed rural and green wedge zones:
Reformed industrial zones
What changes are proposed?
The floor area restriction for an office in the Industrial 1 Zone, Industrial 2 Zone and Industrial 3 Zone is proposed to be removed. Councils will retain the ability to schedule in a floor space requirement where justified.
The Industrial 3 Zone is proposed to be amended to allow a small supermarket with no greater than 2000 square metres of floor space along with a small number of supporting shops without the need for a planning permit.
Go to the zone pages below to view the proposed industrial zones:
What happens next?
Residential zones
After the comment period concludes and the zones are finalised by the Department of Planning and Community Development. Councils will have twelve months to consider and apply for a conversion of the existing residential zones.
Criteria to help councils with their conversion will be made available after the zones have been finalised.
Industrial and Rural zones
After the comment period concludes and the zones are finalised by the Department of Planning and Community Development, the reformed industrial zones will be implemented into all planning schemes.
Commercial zones
After the comment period concludes and the zones are finalised by the Department of Planning and Community Development, the new commercial zones will be implemented into all planning schemes.
Councils will be given an opportunity to identify any existing business zoned land currently used for industrial purposes that should be excluded from the conversion to the new commercial zones.
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