Darebin Planning Scheme Review
What is a Planning Scheme Review?
A Planning Scheme Review is a regular check of our planning scheme to make sure it is working effectively and meeting the needs of our community. It is carried out every four years and helps us understand whether the planning scheme is achieving its intended outcomes.
The review helps us to:
- understand how well the Darebin Planning Scheme is working and whether it continues to reflect local needs and State Government planning policies
- identify any issues, gaps, new trends and opportunities that may need to be addressed
- develop clear, evidence-based recommendations to improve planning outcomes for the community.
Under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, all Victorian councils are required to review their planning schemes and provide a report to the Minister for Planning within one year of adopting a Council Plan.
Darebin Planning Scheme Review 2026
The Darebin Planning Scheme Review 2026 was adopted by Council on 22 September 2026 and submitted to the Minister for Planning.
The review findings are available in the following documents:
Key findings
The review was informed by planning permit and VCAT data, an audit of the planning scheme, findings from recent community consultation, and input from people who regularly use the planning system.
The review found that the Darebin Planning Scheme remains fit for purpose and is generally performing well. However, targeted improvements are needed to keep the scheme up to date and support better planning outcomes for the community.
Recommendations and Five-year Work Plan
The 2026 Planning Scheme Review includes 46 recommendations that have been used to develop a Five-Year Strategic Planning Work Plan.
Priorities of the plan focus on:
- Planning scheme maintenance and improvement: Maintaining a modern and effective planning scheme through ongoing updates and improvements to planning policies and controls.
- Housing strategy implementation: Implementing the Darebin Housing Strategy through updated residential policies and controls that encourage well-located, high-quality housing and respond to State reforms.
- Heritage program: Strengthening heritage protection by establishing a proactive heritage program to update Darebin's heritage framework and address identified gaps.
- Economic land use planning: Preparing a new Economic Land Use Strategy to help guide how employment land is protected, improved and adapted to changing economic conditions.
- Open space and infrastructure planning: Developing a new structure plan for Northcote to replace the existing plan and better manage growth, heritage and activity centre outcomes.
- Structure planning: Finalising a new Open Space Strategy and updating Council’s municipal Development Contributions Plan.
Together, these priorities will help ensure the Darebin Planning Scheme remains effective, responsive to community needs, and supports the municipality's future growth and development.
Work on the next Planning Scheme Review will commence in 2029.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Planning Scheme?
The Darebin Planning Scheme is a statutory document that sets out the framework for land use and development in the municipality. It includes State, regional and local policies, as well as zones, overlays, and other provisions that guide planning decisions.
Learn more about the Darebin Planning Scheme
What is a Planning Scheme Review?
A Planning Scheme Review is a 'health check' of a planning scheme, undertaken to assess how effectively it is achieving planning objectives and implementing State and local planning policy, and is required under the Planning and Environment Act 1987.
Are there any changes proposed to the Darebin Planning Scheme?
The Darebin Planning Scheme Review does not propose to introduce any changes to the Darebin Planning Scheme.
Rather, it identifies recommendations to improve the planning scheme, as identified in the Summary Report. These recommendations have informed a five-year strategic work plan.
It is important to note that inclusion of a project in the Work Plan does not predetermine a future planning outcome or commit Council to a specific course of action.
How can I have a say?
The review did not include targeted community engagement at this stage; however, it assessed community feedback from past community consultations over the past five years, which helped inform the key directions of the Work Plan.
You will be able to have your say on individual projects identified in the Work Plan, where separate community engagement, formal public consultation processes and Council decisions, is required.
Details of the engagement considered during the review are summarised in the background report.