City of Casey Mayor has urged the State Government to “meaningfully” engage with local councils as Victoria prepares for sweeping changes to its planning system.
Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen said the early indications suggested that the proposed changes in the planning law would “significantly reshape” how housing permit applications are assessed, and how councils operate within the planning framework.
The State Government introduced the Planning Amendment (Better Decisions Made Faster) Bill 2025 on 28 October, describing it as “the biggest overhaul of Victoria’s planning laws in decades”.
The reforms are aimed at speeding up housing approvals, slashing red tape and fast-tracking projects amid rising housing demand.
Under the proposed changes, planning permits would be assessed through three separate approval pathways, with stand-alone homes and duplexes decided in 10 days, townhouses and low-rise apartments in 30 days, and larger apartment buildings in 60 days.
Notice and third-party appeals would be removed for homes, duplexes, townhouses, and low-rise apartments.
For the third stream for higher-density apartments, only those who are directly impacted, like neighbours in the area, will get notice and be able to appeal.
The State Government believed these changes would modernise “old-fashioned NIMBY laws” and unlock more than $900 million in economic value each year.
“Victoria’s planning laws were written decades ago – now we’re bringing them into the 21st century,” Premier Jacinta Allan said.
“We want a planning system that makes better, faster decisions because we want more homes for young people.
“Victoria leads the nation when it comes to building and approving homes – but we know the system needs to move faster. That’s exactly what this Bill will do.”
But the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has raised concerns about the lack of consultation with local councils — concerns echoed by Mayor Cr Koomen.
Mayor Cr Koomen said council officers are examining the Bill alongside the MAV to understand its full implications for the Casey community, and the delivery of planning services in Casey.
“As the level of government tasked with implementing these reforms, we encourage the State Government to engage meaningfully with local councils to ensure they are robust, practical and responsive,” he said.
“This includes genuine consideration of — and responses to — submissions made by the local government sector.
“The City of Casey is committed to creating opportunities for affordable and appropriate housing. As one of Victoria’s largest municipalities, we support efforts to meet housing targets; however, these must be underpinned by genuine collaboration and a clear understanding of local challenges and opportunities.”
MAV President Cr Jennifer Anderson said councils, which are responsible for administering the system, had not been consulted on legislation that would dictate how the communities were shaped now and into the future.
“The Bill aims for faster decisions and greater certainty, but the closed-shop approach to reform risks inefficiency and mistakes. Ultimately, it risks the erosion of public trust in planning decisions and in government,” she said.
MAV data shows more than 100,000 dwellings approved by councils remain unbuilt, not because of planning delays, but due to “unfavourable market forces”.
The MAV is also concerned that proposals to wind back notice provisions would remove a critical quality control mechanism, with local communities often providing important local knowledge.
MAV CEO Kelly Grigsby said speed cannot come at the expense of quality and safety.
“We can’t afford to compromise on climate resilience when one in four regional properties is projected to be uninsurable by 2030. Victorians need homes that can withstand floods, fires and extreme heat – not just fast approvals,” she said.
For the City of Casey, in the 2024/25 financial year, the median time taken to decide planning applications is 102 days. There has been a 14 per cent decrease since last financial year.
