In February 2020 Council resolved to prepare and exhibit Planning Scheme Amendment C296ston to introduce a Development Contribution Plan (DCP) to the Stonnington Planning Scheme, as a mechanism to equitably levy contributions from new developments to go towards the provision of planned infrastructure required to accommodate the needs of a growing population.

Developers would provide a monetary contribution to infrastructure upgrades and community facilities like roads, footpaths, drainage and community facilities (for example, an Aquatic Centre upgrade) under a new plan to help provide for the needs of our growing city. As our population grows, so does the demand on our city’s infrastructure. This plan aims to ensure that developers make a fair contribution to our community.

Each contribution would be spent within the charge area (Stonnington's 9 suburbs) that the new development is being built, to ensure that existing and future local residents benefit. The plan would apply to all new residential dwellings (not renovations to or replacement of an existing home) as well as commercial and industrial developments where new floor space is being added.

We have identified an extensive list of infrastructure projects from our 10 Year Capital Works Program 2020/2021 that would be eligible to be funded under the Development Contribution Plan program. The DCP includes 195 projects and will collect approximately $45 million of the estimated total cost of these projects (total cost is approximately $257 million).

Council will be responsible for delivering these projects through to 2040.

Since exhibition of the Amendment from 25 February to 31 March, Council officers have engaged Urban Enterprise to undertake a peer review of the Development Contributions Plan.

These revisions were presented in the form of ‘tracked changes’ to the exhibited amendment materials at Council’s meeting held 19 July 2021. Any submissions to these revisions must be sent by Monday 16 August 2021 to ensure any submission may be referred to the upcoming planning panel.

Planning Panels Victoria

The purpose of the Panel Hearing is for an independent panel, appointed by the Minister for Planning, to consider unresolved submissions received during the public exhibition period.

Planning Panels Victoria will hold a Public Hearing by video conference for Planning Scheme Amendment C296ston.

• Directions Hearing was held at 10am, Tuesday, 31 August 2021.
• Panel Hearing will be held on the week commencing 25 October 2021 by video conference using Zoom Click here to join the meeting at 10am 25 to 28 October 2021.

Click here to download more information regarding the Panel process for Planning Scheme Amendment C296ston.

Click here to view the timetable for the Panel hearing.