Understanding Planning

Each Council has a unique Municipal Planning Strategy and can help shape the individuality of a region. The Municipal Planning Strategy is considered with every planning permit application.

The Municipal Planning Strategy is a local strategy that encompasses the following:

• Clause 02.01 - Context
• Clause 02.02 - Vision
• Clause 02.03 - Strategic Directions
• Clause 02.04 - Strategic Framework Plans

The Planning Policy Framework (PPF) encompasses different aspects that must be considered in any Planning Application. These include:

• Clause 11 - Settlement
• Clause 12 - Environmental and Landscape Values
• Clause 13 - Environmental Risks and Amenity
• Clause 14 - Natural Resource Management
• Clause 15 - Built Environment and Heritage
• Clause 16 - Housing
• Clause 17 - Economic Development
• Clause 18 - Transport
• Clause 19 - Infrastructure

Each Clause listed above have further sub-clauses. For example, under the umbrella of Clause 16 - Housing, is Clause 16.01-3S - Rural Residential Development and Clause 16.01-3L - Rural Residential development - Horsham. In this instance, the "S" stands for "State". This means the policy is included in every planning scheme in Victoria. The "L" stands for "Local". This means that the particular Clause is localised and only relevant for Horsham.

Every property only has one zone.  Zones aim to avoid conflict between different types of land uses and ensure development is appropriate for an area. Common zones include:

• Residential zones (such as the General Residential Zone (GRZ), Township Zone (TZ), Low Density Residential Zone (LDRZ).
• Industrial zones (such as the Industrial 1 Zone (IN1Z) and Industrial 3 Zone (IN3Z).
• Commercial zones (such as the Commercial 1 Zone (C1Z) or Commercial 2 Zone (C2Z).
• Rural zones (such as the Rural Living Zone (RLZ) and the Farming Zone (FZ).
• Public Land zones (such as the Public Use Zone (PUZ), Public Park and Recreation Zone (PPRZ), Public Conservation and Resource Zone (PCRZ).

If you click on any of the links associated with the Zones above, you may notice that these Zones have 'Schedules'. These 'Schedules' are unique to Horsham and aim to localise the Planning Scheme for our region.

If you want further information on any of these zones or are looking to prepare a Planning Permit application, please visit the Planning Information & Fact Sheets page.

Overlays operate in addition to zones.  An overlay may seek to achieve certain design and building standards for a lot. Some of the different overlays are outlined below:

• Environmental and Landscape Overlays (such as the Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO), and Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO).
• Heritage and Built Form Overlays (such as the Heritage Overlay (HO), Design and Development Overlay (DDO) and Development Plan Overlay (DPO).
• Land Management Overlays (such as the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO), Land Subject to Inundation (LSIO), and the Floodway Overlay (FO).

Not all lots are subject to an overlay. If an overlay applies to a lot, it may specify additional requirements in relation to subdivisions, buildings and works, vegetation removal and other matters.

Just like Zones, Overlays also have 'Schedules'. These 'Schedules' are specific to Horsham and also aim to localise the Planning Scheme for our region.

If you want further information on any of these overlays or are looking to prepare a Planning Permit application, please visit the Planning Information & Fact Sheets page.

You can search your property address here to generate a Planning Property Report and to view the zones and overlays that apply to your property.

You can also visit VicPlan for an interactive map that shows both the zones and overlays applying to your land.

If you need further assistance to generate a Planning Property Report, please visit the Generate a Planning Property Report page.

• Dividing land into two or more seperate lots

Subdivision

• If the property is under 300sqm in an urban area, and you wish to develop the land with a dwelling or extend an existing dwelling
• It is proposed to construct a dwelling in a Farming Zone on a lot less than 40 hectares
• It is proposed to construct more than one dwelling on a lot
• The property is in a rural area and the land is under the minimum lot size in the zone
• Overlays on the land related to heritage, bushfire, flooding, or other environmental reasons
• The dwelling does not meet the setbacks in the zone
• It is proposed to construct a shed that is not associated with agriculture or a dwelling in a rural area.

Rural Dwellings in a Farming Zone Information Sheet(PDF, 3MB)

• The property is under 300sqm in an urban area
• There is no existing dwelling on the property
• Overlays on the land related to heritage, bushfire, flooding, or other environmental reasons
• A shed in a Farming Zone that is not associated with agriculture
• A shed that does not meet the setbacks identified in the zone.

• If the vegetation proposed to be removed is native and the property is over 4,000 sqm
• To remove non-native species of vegetation if the property is within a Heritage Overlay (HO) or Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO)
• There are Planning Permit conditions or other restrictions or agreements applying to the property
• The property is outside of a Bushfire Management Overlay and you do not have exemptions to create or maintain defendable space in areas affected by a Bushfire Management Overlay (see Vegetation management for bushfire protection).
  
  Note: Native vegetation is not just trees and includes native grasses, areas of bush or scrub, wetlands and rushes.

Native Vegetation

• Use or development of land
• Use of an existing building for business
• Displaying advertising signs
• Street trading and other statutory Planning requirements
• A business that requires a liquor licence
• Hours of trading allowed under a liquor licence are to be extended
• Patron numbers under a liquor licence are to be increased
• The licensed area (‘red line’) is being extended.

Liquor Licence