Development Controls for Fishermans Bend

13 November 2016

Minister for Planning Richard Wynne announced mandatory development controls for Fishermans Bend today.

With a new round of community engagement beginning this week, the announcement is a welcome step towards consistency with the Vision for Fishermans Bend released in October.

The controls address some of the criticisms of planning for Fishermans Bend to date – the absence of any affordable housing, the predominance of single bedroom apartments, the lack of anything other than residential uses and apartments with poor internal amenity.

The controls aim to increase the mix of apartment sizes and increase the amount of affordable housing.

Developers wanting permits taller than 12 storeys will be encouraged to include six per cent social housing in their projects, and to make at least 30 per cent of all apartments three-bedroom.

In the Lorimer and Montague neighbourhoods, buildings taller than 12 storeys will be expected to include at least 15 per cent of floor space for commercial and community use.

The controls will apply to those permit applications lodged with the Minister that have not yet been approved. They will not apply to permits already granted.

The planning mechanisms whereby these desired outcomes are to be achieved are yet to be made clear

The interim planning controls will remain in place until final neighbourhood plans are set in late 2018.