This is the body On the 14th of June 2016 CS Town Planning were awarded a Gold Australian Customer Service Award for 2016 for their commitment to delivering a world class customer service experience. The company were recognised for the award based on the survey responses of previous customers. The survey was anonymous and conducted independently by an external third party. The award is excellent recognition of the valuable work all our team do for our clients. .
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews reshuffled his ministry and appointed Lily D’Ambrosio to an additional portfolio of Suburban Development to ensure that our fastest growing suburbs remain great places to work and live.
Ms D’ Ambrosio’s key objective in her new position will be to work to develop five year plans for jobs, services and infrastructure and to identify where state and federal government should focus investment.
Her functional purpose is to co-ordinate government policy and programs in outer urban growth areas as these are the areas experiencing the strongest population growth.
The Victorian Government has announced changes to Melbourne’s planning strategy for growth.
The original strategy was released in May 2014 and outlines measures to support jobs close to homes, services and transport, etc. The 2014 change in the Victorian Government has resulted in the need to revise parts of Plan Melbourne 2014 according to the new government’s commitments. ‘Refresh’ of Plan Melbourne will focus on issues such as housing affordability and diversity, better local communities and better transport. Some of the proposed strategies are:
- 20-minute neighbourhoods; where people can both work and meet their daily needs within a 20-minute walk.
- 70/30 target; deliver 70% of new housing in Melbourne’s established areas and 30% greenfield growth areas.
- Facilitate more housing supply, including housing suitable for families with children.
- Apply the Neighbourhood Residential Zone to at least 50% of residential lands.
- Sustainable renewal of residential areas, where existing building stock is outdated and land values make redevelopment attractive.
- Transport infrastructure initiatives such as the Melbourne Metro Rail Project, the improvements to the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Mernda rail lines, and removal of the East West Link.
During this time, an online forum will be available for interested parties, such as you, to post ideas or ask questions about the Plan Melbourne refresh until Friday, 18 December 2015. Afterwards, the submissions will be reviewed and changes will be reflected in Plan Melbourne 2016.
As a service to our subscribers, CS Town Planning Experts will also gladly answer your questions regarding Plan Melbourne refresh.
Read more about the refresh of Plan Melbourne here.
We are proud to announce that CS Town Planning Services was nominated as one of the five finalists for “Small Business of the Year” of Optus My Business Awards 2015. Our team attended the award ceremony in Sydney on 13 November 2015, as shown in the picture below.
As you may have seen on the news on Wednesday July 15th, a wall caved in at a construction site in Mount Waverley. This led to some shocking images of a townhouse teetering on the edge of the pit and the evacuation of a dozen neighbouring residents. The site, located on the corner of Huntingdale and Highbury roads, was excavated 15 metres deep for the construction of a $5.5 million medical and childcare centre.
According to Victoria Police, the collapsed face of the excavation is said to be stable now. On Monday August 3rd, work began on backfilling the pit in order to stabilise it. Victoria Police have said it could take up five weeks to refill the pit as the excavation is about 10,000 cubic metres in size and requires 1000 truckloads of dirt to fill up.
The landslip was the second one on the site within two days, allegedly due to heavy rain. The Victoria Building Authority believes otherwise and is currently investigating any non-compliance in the building permit and/or conduct of building practitioners involved.
For more information, please click here.
In May, our Managing Director Paul O’Shea was announced the winner of the Victorian Government’s Young Achiever Award for Small Business. This achievement marks a rewarding milestone in the company’s development path. CS Town Planning would like to take this opportunity to thank all our past and current clients for their continuing support and referral opportunities. We strive to continue providing good service to meet our clients’ planning needs.
Office relocation
From 1st May 2015, CS office has relocated to a new address at Suite I, 450 Chapel Street in South Yarra. You can contact our office via new number 9824 1902; our old office number will remain active until 1st May 2016.
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) have introduced new approach to list matters in the Planning and Environment List. All parties will be given a timeline at the initial stage of their proceeding on hearing date and any compulsory conference or mediation. This will allow parties to better plan and prepare for their submissions or organise expert witnesses to appear at the hearing.
Applications lodged prior to 2 February 2015 would still be processed under the former procedures. For more information on the VCAT’s new approach, please click here.
We have been nominated for a 2015 Telstra Business Award
We have been ranked alongside some of the best in the business by being nominated for the 2015 Telstra Business Awards. It is a proud moment for us, and we would like to thank you all for your continued support.
The next round of judging is in May, and we will keep you posted on how we go.
The new Victorian Labor Premier Daniel Andrews has appointed Mr Richard Wynne as the always-controversial Planning Minister early this month. After Mathew Guy’s transformation of Melbourne into a foreign investors’ nirvana, it is now up to Labor to steer Victoria’s future land developments.
For more information about the new Planning Minister Richard Wynne and his involvements, please click here.
As holiday season is fast approaching, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you a safe & joyful Christmas and a wonderful New Year to come!
Our office will be closed from 22nd December 2014 and re-open on 5th January 2015.
The planning activity summary has revealed a significant slash in total number of planning applications received since the new zones came into effect.
The number of new permit applications alone had dropped by 23% in August. This may be the effect that the new zone requirements had on the confidence of people who are looking to develop.
However, the number of refusals in August fell by 9%. A fall in the number of refusals may demonstrate the zones are providing more clarity on where development can occur.
For a thorough planning activity monthly report, please click here. If you are considering developing your land according to the new zones, contact our office today.
In our last newsletter on June 2nd, 15 councils had submitted their rezoning to the state government, with only Greater Dandenong and Glen Eira approved.
Within one month, the minister has approved 11 of the proposed rezonings.
Those councils that have had their rezonings approved in the last month are Bayside, Boroondara, Casey, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Manningham, Maroondah, Melbourne, Monash, Wyndham, and Yarra Ranges.
To check the reformed planning zones please click here.