We’re carrying out a review of the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme to assess its performance and ensure it reflects the community’s vision and aligns with the newly adopted Council Plan.
The review is a legislative requirement of the State Government’s Planning and Environment Act 1987 and must be completed within 12 months of adopting the new Council Plan.
It’s an important opportunity to review what changes have been made to the Planning Scheme since the last review in 2022 and assess the effectiveness of the planning scheme, identify areas for improvement and highlight any gaps.
While much of the content in a planning scheme is mandated by the State Government, we’re specifically asking community to provide feedback on the vision and strategic directions outlined in the Municipal Planning Strategy section of the scheme, to ensure they align with community’s needs and the Council Plan.
We also want to hear from industry professionals, government agencies and authorities to understand their experiences using the planning scheme.
The findings will be documented through a report that must include how the planning scheme meets Ministerial Directions, makes the best use of State and local planning provisions, and supports the delivery of State Government housing targets.
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Share your feedback
Select the best option from the below surveys. The survey for professional users includes developers, planning consultants and external authorities
The Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme sets out how land in the Yarra Ranges can be protected, used, and developed. It includes:
- Maps showing how land is affected by zones and overlays.
- Written rules called ordinance that explain what the zones and overlays mean.
- State, regional and local planning policies that set out the land use and development outcomes sought by the planning scheme.
- Incorporated documents that guide decisions and how the scheme operates.
The information in a planning scheme is prepared by the local council or the Minister for Planning and must be approved by the Minister for Planning.
| Section 12(B) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 requires a Council to review the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme every four years and within one year of adopting a new Council Plan. Review findings will be reported to the Minister for Planning by October 2026. A planning scheme is a legal document that describe and control how land in an area can be used or developed. You may use the Planning Scheme when you need to open a new business, build a new house or building, or change the way a place looks. It includes objectives, strategies, standards and guidelines to encourage land use and development. The Planning Scheme Review is a ‘health check’ on the planning scheme’s performance to see how effective and efficient it is in meeting Victoria’s planning objectives. The Planning Scheme Review will identify:
The Planning Scheme Review will encompass the period from the last review in 2022 through to its completion in October 2026. |
The Planning Scheme Review is based on several inputs. These include the Council Plan, strategies and policies Council has adopted since 2022, community feedback, and data from the past four years about planning permits, VCAT decisions and planning scheme changes.
All of this helps Council understand how well the planning scheme is working and where it could be improved. The Planning Scheme Review Report 2026 will list actions to make the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme work better. These actions will then guide future work across different areas of Council.
When completing the survey, we may ask for some personal information to ensure we are engaging with a range of people. This is optional and does not need to be provided to complete the survey.
Your personal information will not be included in the Planning Scheme Review Report. It may, however, be used by Council officers to contact you should they need to discuss your feedback in more detail.
Your feedback will help us ensure our Planning Scheme is relevant and meets the needs of our community. Feedback received will form part of the technical analysis. This will then inform development of a Planning Scheme Review 2026 Report. A summary of all feedback received will be included in the Planning Scheme Review 2026 Report.
Timeline
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Timeline item 1 - active
Commencement of Planning Scheme Review
February 2026
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Timeline item 2 - active
Community Consultation
20 April to 17 May
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Timeline item 3 - active
Data Collection and analysis
February to June 2026
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Timeline item 4 - incomplete
Preparation of Draft Planning Scheme Review 2026
July to September 2026
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Timeline item 5 - incomplete
Consideration by Council and submit to Minister for Planning
October 2026
Contact Us
Have questions or want to learn more about the Policy, contact us below:
| Name | Strategic Planning |
|---|---|
| Phone | 1300 368 333 |
| mail@yarraranges.vic.gov.au | |
| Website | yarraranges.vic.gov.au |
| In writing | PO Box 105, Lilydale Vic 3140 Att: Strategic Planning, Re: Planning Scheme Review |
If you need assistance when contacting Council, please use the numbers below.
- National Relay Service: 133 677 (for callers who have a hearing, speech or communication impairment and for Text Telephone or modem callers)
- 1300 555 727 (for callers using Speech to Speech relay)
- Translating and Interpreting Service: 131 450 and ask them to contact Council on 1300 368 333
- TTY: 9658 9461
