Planning Permit Pitfalls: What Melbourne Multi‑Dwelling Developers Need to Know in 2026

Avoid costly planning permit pitfalls in 2026 Melbourne multi-dwelling projects. Greenway Hirst Page guides developers toward faster, compliant approvals.

Multi-dwelling developments such as townhouses, low-rise apartments, and infill projects are facing stricter scrutiny in 2026 due to new Victorian planning reforms. These reforms tighten liveability, sustainability, and technical standards, increasing the risk of costly planning permit pitfalls. Greenway Hirst Page supports developers with clear strategies, compliant design solutions, and efficient approvals management.

The 2026 Planning Shift: What’s Changing

Victoria’s planning system now prioritises faster, compliant development with higher amenity standards. Developers must ensure full compliance from the start, supported by clear, robust evidence.

Key changes at a glance:

•  Stronger deemed-to-comply pathways for townhouses and low-rise projects, requiring strict adherence to measurable standards.
•  Clearer separation of controls for townhouses, four-storey apartments, and larger apartment buildings, with intensified focus on daylight, cross-ventilation, noise, storage, and functional room dimensions.
•  Firmer environmental performance expectations—integrated water management, stormwater quality, permeability, canopy trees, and heat-island mitigation.
•  More attention to overlays and referral authorities (e.g., flood, bushfire, heritage), with design responses expected up front—not deferred to conditions.
•  Streamlined processes in some scenarios, but reduced flexibility where proposals deviate from standards.

Planning Permit Pitfalls Developers Must Avoid

A concise plan, anchored in current standards and complete evidence, is the best defence against delay and redesign. The following are the most common traps we see—and how to avoid them.

•  Using Outdated Design Codes – Designing with outdated standards risks delays and redesigns. Current rules focus on measurable outcomes like daylight, ventilation, and functionality. Review and update your plans early to stay compliant.

•  Ignoring Overlays and Local Schedules – Overlays and local schedules can affect setbacks, heights, parking, and heritage or flood controls. Missing these early often leads to costly redesigns. Conduct due diligence early with a planning report, overlay summary, and referral checks for Melbourne Water, CFA, or heritage requirements.

•  Skipping Cultural Heritage Checks – Cultural heritage requirements may apply based on site sensitivity or project scale. If a Cultural Heritage Management Plan is needed, start it early to avoid delays. Include screening checks and heritage advice in your planning process from the outset.

•  Underestimating Documentation Standards – Applications succeed or fail based on evidence quality. Common gaps include poor solar, landscape, or stormwater documentation. Engage consultants early and coordinate all reports into one clear, consistent submission.

How Greenway Hirst Page Helps Developers Stay Ahead

We offer a compliance-first approach that speeds up approvals and minimises redesigns. We simplify complex codes, coordinate experts, and manage council approvals efficiently.

Our services include:

•  Site feasibility and strategy: zoning/overlay diagnosis, risk mapping, and yield-compliance testing.

•  Planning documentation: design response statements, clause-by-clause assessments, overshadowing and solar analyses, canopy and landscape compliance, and WSUD summaries aligned to stormwater clauses.

•  Authority liaison: coordinated responses to council and referral bodies (e.g., Melbourne Water, CFA, heritage), including technical clarifications and condition wording.

•  Application and review management: timely submissions, responses to further information requests, and representation in negotiations or reviews where required.

Plan Smarter and Build Faster with Greenway Hirst Page

Avoiding planning permit pitfalls demands current knowledge, precise documentation, and proactive engagement. Greenway Hirst Page combines strategic advice with rigorous, clause-aligned reporting to de-risk approvals for townhouses, low-rise apartments, and infill projects across Melbourne.

Contact us to discuss your next development and streamline your pathway to permit. Our planners assess your concept, find compliance opportunities, and prepare a strong submission that meets current standards for a smooth approval process.

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