Increasing the open space levy
On 12 September 2022, Council’s Planning Committee considered a report including recent submissions and officers’ responses, and recommendations on next steps for Amendment C186dare. Council resolved not to refer additional submissions to the Planning Panel. Council will not continue with the amendment in its current form and will undertake further work before starting the amendment process again. Funding for further work on open space planning for Darebin will be considered as part of the 2022/23 budget cycle.
Council remains committed to increasing the supply of open space in Darebin. To achieve this goal while Council is working on a longer-term increase to the levy, Council resolved to commence a new planning scheme amendment to enable a 5% open space contribution rate in the meantime.
The minutes from the meeting are available on Council’s website.
Updates on next steps and any new amendment will be communicated via Council’s Your Say platform.
About Amendment C186dare (not being progressed)
Access to open space is essential to health and wellbeing. Melbourne's population is increasing – more people are living in higher density dwellings and the amount of open space we have per person is decreasing. People living in apartments and in subdivided blocks have access to less open space now than we traditionally had in larger house blocks.
An increase in the open space levy will improve the quality and quantity of open space within Darebin.
Planning Scheme Amendment C186dare was seeking an increase in the open space levy rate from 2-5% to 10%. The Amendment was first exhibited in late 2019, after which the amendment was paused to allow Council to undertake further work.
Three additional reports were developed to support Planning Scheme Amendment C186dare. These are Implementing Breathing Space, Enhancing Breathing Space, and the Open Space Contributions Justification Report. Together with Breathing Space: Darebin Open Space Strategy and Open Space Contributions Review (SGS Economics and Planning), these documents form the strategic justification for the increase to the open space levy.
At its meeting on 23 August 2021, Council adopted the further strategic work prepared in support of Amendment C186dare. View the meeting agenda and minutes on Council's website.
Following Council adoption, a Directions Hearing (a preliminary, administrative hearing) was held on 30 August 2021 where Planning Panels Victoria supported Council’s request to undertake public exhibition of the further work supporting the amendment.
The amendment was on exhibition from 30 September to 31 October 2021.
For more information about what has happened on this project you can view
the Open Space Levy history document
to the right of this page.
View the documents
You can view the documents to the right of this page
You can also find the Frequently Asked Questions to the right of this page.
