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Flood-resilient planning and building
As our climate changes, planning and building systems need to provide up to date information to help communities, landowners, councils and industry make informed decisions about development.
To help Victorian’s better plan for, and manage flood risk, we are updating
- flood risk information
- flood maps
- planning controls
building controls The new controls willensure planners and developers have better access to flood risk information.
It will help them make informed decisions about:
- Where to build to avoid development in the highest-risk areas
- What to build, to design more resilient structures
- How to build, using flood-safe construction standards.
Work underway
Melbourne Water has started a staged release of updated flood mapping across Greater Melbourne over the next few years.
New modelling data will be included in planning schemes through a state-led, streamlined planning scheme amendment process. The modelling will ensure development decisions account for updated flood risk information.
Existing flood studies prepared by Melbourne Water and regional Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) will be progressively implemented into local planning schemes.
The new risk-based planning policy and planning and building controls will provide clearer property-level flood risk information.
The controls will distinguish between different levels of flood risk:
- Very high-risk areas, where development must be avoided
- High-risk areas, where development warrants careful assessment
- Moderate-risk areas, where projects will need the right safeguards
- Low-risk areas, where minimum building requirements will apply.
In areas with low flood risk, development flood risk will be managed through the building system. This will avoid the unnecessary delay of a planning application, provide more certainty and help fast-track housing in the right locations.
In all but the very highest-risk areas, the risk-based controls will enable appropriate development that responds to the level of flood risk. This will give landowners and industry greater certainty about what housing can be built, where it can be located and how it can be built.
Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA) is working with CMAs to implement the government’s reforms. This includes updated state guidance to Catchment Management Authorities to inform decisions.
Supporting climate resilient communities
The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP), DEECA, floodplain management authorities (Melbourne Water and regional CMAs), and local governments are working together to improve the use of flood risk information in planning and building decisions.
DTP will work closely with floodplain management authorities and local governments to translate flood risk information into planning controls through the state-led planning scheme amendment process.
The reforms will help Victoria better communicate and manage flood and climate risks as the state plans for more homes in the places people want to live. They will also support clearer, more consistent decision-making for landowners, planners, developers, councils and industry.
The reforms deliver on Plan for Victoria action 19 to better communicate and manage flood, bushfire and climate hazard risks.
Find out more
To learn more about flood plain management go to the Floodplain management page.
The Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy also provides broader context on floodplain management reform and statewide responsibilities.
The Melbourne Water Greater Melbourne Flood Information Program page provides guidance on why flood information is important, program timelines and understanding your flood risk.
Page last updated: 26/06/26