Planning Schemes are legal documents that describe and control how land in an area can be used and developed. You may use the Planning Scheme when you need to open a new business, build or extend an existing building or change the way a place looks.

Our planning scheme contains objectives, strategies, standards and guidelines to encourage land uses and development.

Planning Schemes are updated over time to reflect the changing needs of our city and the community living within it. Periodically we ask the community on their experience in using the planning scheme.

A planning scheme is a legal document that describes how land in an area can be used and developed.

The information in a planning scheme is prepared by the local council or the Minister for Planning, and, approved by the Minister for Planning

All planning schemes have a standard structure called the Victoria Planning Provisions (VPP). These tools are specified in a Ministerial Direction on the Form and Content of Planning Schemes.

Planning schemes have three main parts:

• Maps showing how land is affected by zones and overlays.
• The ordinance which are the written requirements of a scheme.
• Incorporated documents that guide decisions and how the scheme operates.

You can find out more about planning schemes and their structure at this Victorian State Government Planning website

The Planning Scheme Review 2022 Report includes a series of actions to improve the way the Merri-bek Planning Scheme operates.

These actions will be translated into future work for relevant areas of Council. All inputs to the review will inform these actions, including your feedback.

Council reported the findings of the Planning Scheme Review 2022 Report by Council to the Minister for Planning.