Great Design Fast Track

The Great Design Fast Track (GDFT) is a new planning approval pathway in Victoria that rewards well-designed housing. Proposals which meet the specified principles for good design and sustainability can access this accelerated pathway. It will be open to receive applications in April (2025).

Proposals which meet the specified principles for good design can access this accelerated pathway.

In addition to meeting the specified principles, a proposal for an apartment development can access the pathway if it will achieve better than average sustainability performance - an average Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) rating of at least 8.0 stars, and no less than 6.5 stars for an individual apartment. Townhouses must achieve a NatHERS rating of no less than 7.5 stars.

All dwellings proposed also need to provide effective natural ventilation, which includes cross ventilation, single sided ventilation or mechanically assisted ventilation.

Compared to a standard planning approval pathway, these requirements raise the bar for the sustainability and performance of proposed developments.

To be eligible for the GDFT, applicants must meet all of the above requirements.

The GDFT is open to well-designed and highly sustainable developments of 2-8 storeys which include 8 or more homes. Proposals cannot be altered to reduce the number of homes below 8 after entering the pathway. The homes must be townhouses or apartments or a combination of the two. Mixed-use buildings where housing is the primary use are also eligible to use this pathway.

The GDFT is open to applications anywhere that housing is allowed under the planning scheme, as long as proposals are two to eight storeys in height and include eight or more homes. However, the intensity and scale of development approved under the GDFT will vary depending on which zone applies to the land.

The Minister for Planning may vary certain requirements of other clauses in the planning scheme that would usually apply. These include garden area, building height, setback, car parking and bicycle parking requirements. To apply to vary height or setback requirements, an application must demonstrate a high-quality and integrated response to the design principles. Waiving or varying a requirement will be assessed by considering the zone, the response to the design principles and the surrounding amenity, urban context and strategic context. Any increase in height must maintain the neighbourliness of the development.

No. The existing height allowed by the zone and the proposal’s response to the surrounding context are central to the assessment process for applications under the GDFT. Proposals must demonstrate alignment with the GDFT design principles to be considered for any increases in height.

The table below provides guidance on the heights that can be considered under each zone.

A permit application can only be considered to access the pathway if it meets the specified GDFT Principles.These design principles describe attributes that contribute to great medium-density housing. The Office of the Victorian Government Architect leads the assessment of applications against the design principles, ensuring a high standard is upheld. Guidance is available on the planning.vic.gov.au website to help applicants in applying these principles.

Seven design principles are used to assess if a proposal can access the pathway. These principles are:

• Neighbourly homes
• Welcoming homes
• Green homes
• Sustainable homes
• Healthy homes
• Adaptable homes
• Good value homes.

The design principles are set out in a document with examples of how each can work in a variety of homes and scales.

Once an application has entered the pathway, the relevant parts of the planning scheme are also considered in the assessment.

The Minister for Planning is the ultimate decision-maker on whether an application is approved under the pathway.

With the Minister for Planning as decision-maker and the removal of third-party appeal rights, the GDFT is designed to facilitate faster planning decisions. The process is considerably more streamlined than a standard planning approval pathway.

Workshops were held with a panel of experts in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, sustainability and planning to inform the design principles and policy parameters for the GDFT. Following this, the pathway was further refined through consultation with representatives from the development industry. Hearing from these stakeholder groups helped to ensure that the GDFT meets the needs of Victorians and is useable, attractive and clear.

Neighbours and community members can have their say when an application is advertised in the same way as they would for applications using a standard planning permit pathway. Any relevant concerns or support will be considered in the assessment process. Decisions made under the GDFT cannot be appealed by third parties, such as neighbours, at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). This increases certainty for applicants, reduces cost, and gets homes built more quickly.

Councils are given notice of any application affecting land within their municipal area. If the council provides advice or comment, or objects to the application, this is considered in the assessment of the application before the Minister for Planning makes a decision.

There is no change to the usual building permit process. Once a planning permit has been obtained, proposed developments must then get a building permit before construction can begin. This will ensure that all buildings meet the relevant safety and structural requirements.

The state design book will outline what well-designed housing looks like in Victoria. The first part of this book has already been created – it contains the GDFT Design Principles  and gives guidance about how they can be applied. The next part of the guide will be created through input from the Victorian community. It will include community-nominated housing that displays various aspects of great design and showcase what living in an apartment or townhouse can look like.

Community nominations for part 2 of the design book are open now on the Engage Victoria website.

You can nominate an apartment building or townhouse development located anywhere in Victoria. You can nominate new apartment buildings and townhouses as well as apartments and townhouses that have been around for many years or decades. Guidance on the process and criteria for nominations can be found on the Engage Victoria website.

Further information on the community nomination process can be found on the Engage Victoria website.