Victorian Political News		www.robertclark.net

CONCERNS EMERGE ON NEW PLANNING CODE

News Release - Wednesday 14th June 2000

Government proposals to allow two dwellings to be constructed on a single lot without a planning permit risk a return to the days of the discredited 'dual occupancy as of right' under the Cain Labor Government, Shadow Minister for Planning, Mr Robert Clark, said today.

Under the draft ResCode, two dwellings can be built on the one lot under the same rules as a single dwelling, ie, through approval of a site analysis by the local Council, provided that both the dwellings face the street.

"As a result, we could well end up seeing suburbs dotted with pairs of long, narrow dwellings, where existing lots have been split down the middle between two new townhouses," Mr Clark said.

"As long as the specified design requirements are met, there is no general test as to whether a dual occupancy development is consistent with the preferred neighbourhood character of the area.

"This proposal needs very close scrutiny by the community to decide whether or not we want to go in this direction.

"By allowing two dwellings on a lot to proceed without a planning permit under the same rules as a single dwelling, ResCode may well lead to developers seeking to fast track dual occupancies under these rules rather than seeking a planning permit for larger developments," Mr Clark said.

He said ResCode also risked imposing heavy workloads on neighbours, councils and developers in relation to new single dwellings, as a result of leaving too much open to be decided on a case by case basis.

"For single dwellings, the requirements for front setback, front fences, roof pitches and mature tree retention are not specified in the Code, but are to be as specified by the Council for each application.

"This is likely to result in lengthy case by case debate on individual proposals, where councils or council officers have to form judgements on what is appropriate, or will force Councils to quickly develop detailed policies on these issues for the whole of the municipality."

Mr Clark also expressed concern about new restrictions on front fence height.

"While the objective of encouraging more openness to the street is a sound one in many neighbourhoods, there are neighbourhoods, such as on main roads, where a high front fence is a common feature to provide privacy and protect against noise.

"In other areas, high open fences such as wrought iron and brick pillar fences have become very popular and provide valuable security while preserving an open neighbourhood environment.

"Under the ResCode draft, all such fences above 1.2 metres on new developments will need Council agreement," Mr Clark said.