At its meeting on Monday 16 December 2024, Council adopted Planning Scheme Amendment C210dare which proposes to change open space contributions for subdivisions that create two to four additional lots. The Amendment was adopted without changes, as recommended by the independent Planning Panel in its report. The Planning Panel report is available here. The minutes for the Council meeting, including the officers' report and resolution, are available here.

What's happening now?

The Amendment is now being considered for approval by the Minister for Planning.

Access to open space is important for the health, wellbeing and cohesion of communities.

As our population grows, the need for accessible and high-quality open space also grows. Council’s adopted open space strategy, Breathing Space: The Darebin Open Space Strategy (Breathing Space), outlines the open space need in Darebin and sets out strategies and actions for improving and expanding the public open space network in the City of Darebin.

The current open space contribution rates in the Darebin Planning Scheme are not adequate to meet the open space needs of the future population.

Planning Scheme Amendment C210dare proposes to remove the existing contribution rates of 2%, 3% and 4% for smaller subdivisions creating two, three and four additional lots and instead enable up to a 5% contribution for these types of subdivision under the state standard provisions of the Subdivision Act 1988. The mandatory 5% contribution rate for the creation of five additional lots or more will remain.

The existing ‘sliding scale’ for developments of up to four additional lots limits Council’s ability to collect contributions that match the need for more and better open space in Darebin.

Council considers this an important first step to responding to Darebin’s open space needs in the short term. Council is working on a longer-term increase the open space levy to increase the supply and quality of open space in Darebin.

Amendment C210dare was exhibited from 22 February 2024 until 23 March 2024. The exhibition period to make a submission to the amendment has now closed. Thank you for your submissions.

Ask us a question

If you have any questions about the proposed planning scheme amendment, you can contact Brad Spinks on 8470 8586 or email planningservices@darebin.vic.gov.au

What has happened so far?

Council at its meeting on 22 July 2024, considered submissions to Amendment C210dare. It resolved to refer all submissions to the Amendment to an independent Planning Panel.

At its meeting on 9 October 2023, Council resolved to seek authorisation from the Minister for Planning to prepare and exhibit Amendment C210dare.

Council received Ministerial authorisation to prepare and exhibit the amendment on 12 January 2024.

The proposed amendment was exhibited from 22 February 2024 to 22 March 2024 (1 month).

Council considered submissions to the amendment at its meeting on 22 July 2024. Council resolved to refer all submissions to the Amendment to an independent planning panel, to provide recommendations on how the Amendment should respond to submissions.