IBAC Report Echoes YIMBY Melbourne Policy: Reform Councils to Enable Better Planning

Planning Panel criteria must include provision of new housing supply

YIMBY Melbourne welcomes the IBAC's calls for more transparent planning decisions. The Operation Sandon Special Report recommends that specific criteria should be established for more strategic planning decisions. One key component of this criteria must be the provision of new housing supply. 

These new Planning Panels must be outcomes-focused, and must have clear mandates, such as housing targets, to guide their decision-making upon administering progressive planning scheme changes.

Planning Panel implementation must increase certainty for all stakeholders

The provision of a new body must increase certainty and decrease complexity of our planning systems. We are greatly encouraged by the suggestions of moving towards metropolitan level planning, and the recommendations for the adoption of Council best practice.

As a grassroots organisation, YIMBY Melbourne has first-hand experience with the frustrations of a non-standardised, inconsistent Council planning system.

"Processes are different across councils for no real reason," says YIMBY Melbourne's Ethan Gilbert, "Stonnington, Merri-bek, Maribyrnong, and so on—they're all operating in these slightly different ways, and it's not clear why. We're glad to see the need for Council best practice recognised."

Strategic, transparent planning decisions must reflect growth-driven strategy

YIMBY Melbourne welcomes more transparent planning decisions. We support IBAC's proposed independent panel model over simple Ministerial centralisation. It is vital that these panels are equipped with the appropriate powers to produce the best outcomes across our whole planning system and, in turn, to help solve the housing crisis through the creation of housing abundance.

Jonathan O'Brien, Lead Organiser: "Operation Sandon is a clear demonstration that we need more transparency and explicit criteria in planning decisions."

"The Government must ensure that the provision of new housing supply is a core criteria of all Planning Panel decisions, and that the provision of this supply is enforced through a mechanism such as housing targets."

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