Opposition savages Jacinta Allan over pledge to make Victoria ‘townhouse capital of Australia’

Victoria’s opposition has savaged Jacinta Allan’s push to make the state the “townhouse capital of Australia”, accusing the Premier of stripping residents of housing choice and councils of their ability to block “Eastern Europe” style development.

Victoria’s opposition has savaged a new push to make the state the “townhouse capital of Australia”, accusing the premier of acting like a socialist dictator by stripping residents of housing choice.

The attack follows the Allan government revealing Victorians will be able to build townhouses up to three storeys with a fast-tracked planning permit under an overhaul of the state’s residential code.

Liberal planning spokesman Richard Riordan ripped into Premier Jacinta Allan on Tuesday, branding her “Chairman Allan” and accusing her for trying to force a “one-size-fits-all” approach to addressing a government-made housing crisis.

“Chairman Allan, yes, like Chairman Stalin, Chairman Lenin, they all worked on five-year plans inflicting their view of the world on others,” Mr Riordan said.

“It’s exactly what this government’s doing.

“Today we see a government that comes out with a townhouse plan that wants to see Melbourne represent places in Eastern Europe, with block after block after block of homes built exactly the same.

“Whether you’re in Williamstown, Werribee or Mordialloc, they don’t care.”

Mr Riordan also accused the Allan government of waging war against councils and community groups, and giving Victorians “no voice and no choice” over developments instead of fixing the “broken VCAT” system.

Liberal planning spokesman Richard Riordan says Jacinta Allan is acting like a socialist dictator on housing. Picture: Brad Fleet

Aiming to make Victoria the “townhouse capital” of Australia, Premier Jacinta Allan on Tuesday will introduce a scheme to turbocharge the approval of duplexes, townhouses and low-rise apartments.

It comes as the Herald Sun can reveal the convoluted process confronting those who apply for permits.

Some face more than 40 hurdles to secure approvals.

The “snakes and ladders” guide has pushed the average assessment time for planning permits to 145 days – well above the statutory time frame – while the average appeal time frame at VCAT from lodgement to hearing is 175 days.

Jacinta Allan is aiming to make Victoria the ‘townhouse capital of Australia’. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Under the new system, wait times for developments that fit cookie-cutter standards, including a 6m setback at the front, tree canopy and open space, overshadowing and sustainability requirements, will be cut by at least 60 per cent, or to fewer than 58 days.

New homes must meet sunlight, storage, room size, ventilation and private open space requirements, while low-rise apartments will need a mix of one, two and three bedrooms.

In a move that could spark major backlash, residents on neighbouring properties will be stripped of third-party appeals at VCAT.

They will, however, be notified and be able to raise concerns.

The turbocharged approval process comes after Victorians were given the go-ahead to subdivide their land without a planning permit, making it easier for homeowners to build two homes on one block.

Wait times will be reduced for developments that fit cookie-cutter standards.

On Monday, the Herald Sun revealed the state government would strip councils of their planning powers if they failed to present a proposal to meet new housing targets.

Ms Allan, who launched a review into Victoria’s planning and building systems in October, has pledged to turn the state into the “townhouse capital” of Australia.

“Homes don’t get built when they’re lost in the snakes and ladders of the planning system, so we’re fixing it,” she said.

Following huge wait time blowouts, councils – which will be responsible for assessing if a plan meets the new “townhouse code” – will be firmly held to statutory time frames of about 60 days.

The new scheme will come into effect in April, and will not override heritage or flood overlays.

Developments that fail to meet the new set of rules will follow the current snail-pace planning process and will be open to third-party appeals.

New laws are also being considered as part of a rewrite of the state’s decades-old, 606-page Planning and Environment Act to shrink time frames and costs.

Another code for buildings between four and six storeys is also in the works.

The new townhouse code was developed with 148 industry and community stakeholders and 61 submissions from councils.

Councils will be responsible for assessing is a plan meets the new “townhouse code”.

Urban Development Institute of Australia Victorian chief executive Linda Allison said townhouses played an “important part” in solving the housing crisis

“The industry is better positioned to deliver this style of housing in the present market conditions compared to the apartment market where project feasibility is extremely challenged,” she said.

“Housing preferences continue to change and evolve and for many a townhouse is a good middle ground between a detached house on a larger block and apartment living. When well located to community amenities, townhouse living works for many different household types – from single people, couples and families.”

Property Council Victorian executive director Cath Evans said a unified townhouse code would provide clarity and bring more homes to market.

“Ambiguity in design standards can delay the planning process, as there is often no agreement on what constitutes good design outcomes,” she said.

“However, without critical property tax reform, Victoria will struggle to attract the investment it needs to deliver future housing, despite today’s introduction of the Townhouse Code.”

Both Ms Allison and Ms Evans called on the Allan government to extend off the plan concessions, which were announced last year, beyond 12 months.

Originally published as Opposition savages Jacinta Allan over pledge to make Victoria ‘townhouse capital of Australia’