By Violet Li
Casey Council has recorded a 13 per cent decrease in planning applications decided within the required timeframes since last financial year, according to the recently released Annual Report 2023-24.
About 54 per cent of the regular planning application decisions were made within the required 60 days last financial year. In the previous financial year, the number was about 62 per cent.
Casey Council commented on the Annual Report that the decrease could be attributed to sustained recruitment over the year, which impacted the decision timeframes.
According to the State Government’s Planning Permit Activity Reporting, Casey Council received 954 planning permit applications in the 2023-24 financial year and issued 776 new and amended permits. About 480 dwellings and 2893 subdivisions were estimated for the year.
Council’s Annual Report 2023-24 has noted that the median time taken to decide on planning applications was 119 days, 12 days shorter than the previous financial year. Council commented on the report that it was in the expected range.
Council also reported that about 32 per cent of the Council’s planning decisions were upheld by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), a 54 per cent decrease since the last financial year.
“This can be attributed to a greater portion of decisions being slightly varied but generally consistent with the Council’s original stance. In addition, a number of appeals were settled prior to a hearing being held,” Council stated in the Annual Report.
