Development Facilitation Program

The Development Facilitation Program (DFP) is an accelerated assessment pathway for priority projects in identified sectors to inject investment into the Victorian economy, keep people in jobs and create homes for people. All applications lodged to the DFP will be determined by the Minister for Planning or the Department of Transport and Planning under delegation.

DTP also offers a case management service for existing for residential planning permit applications or planning scheme amendments that have been unreasonably delayed more than 6 months with a development value of greater than $10 million.

DFP eligibility criteria

All applications must meet the DFP eligibility criteria or be declared by the Minister for Planning as a priority project to qualify for accelerated assessment and determination.

Eligibility is based on:

• meeting the DFP sectors and financial thresholds
• demonstrating investment certainty
• including a development component that can commence within 12 months

What does ‘development cost’ mean?

The estimated development cost is a calculation of the materials and labour costs. Development costs should be calculated at a normal industry rate for the type of construction proposed.

All DFP applications must include a quantity surveyor report confirming the project’s estimated development cost.

Investment certainty

DFP applications must be submitted with written advice from the Chief Executive Officer, Invest Victoria confirming the project has demonstrated investment certainty or capacity to secure funding.  This requirement does not apply for:

• projects carried out or funded by (or on behalf of) the State of Victoria or a public authority
• applications for renewable energy facilities or utility installations

DTP officers will assist applicants to obtain Invest Victoria’s written advice during the DFP pre-application enquiry process. DTP will request the relevant financial and project documents after confirming the project is eligible for the DFP.

More information on preparing and submitting the feasibility assessment submission is provided in the below guides:

Development component

An application to the DFP must include a development component that can commence construction within 12 months of approval.

DFP assessment pathways

DTP offers two assessment pathways for DFP applications:

• Planning permit applications under Clause 53.22 (Significant Economic Development) or Clause 53.23 (Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing)
• Planning scheme amendment (including combined Section 96a combined planning scheme amendment and planning permit application)

Planning permit applications

Planning permit applications lodged under Clause 53.22 and Clause 53.23 must satisfy the normal application requirements and processes with the following variations:

• the Minister for Planning (or DTP under delegation) may waive or vary any building height or setback requirement
• an application may be exempt from an application requirement
• an application may be referred to a Standing Advisory Panel following public notice
• an application is exempt from third party review at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal

DFP applications are subject to the same referral and public notice requirements as standard assessments. This means DTP will engage referral authorities and local governments and notify adjoining property owners and potentially affected parties if the planning scheme requires it. Authority and community views will be considered in DTP’s planning assessment.

Planning scheme amendment requests (including s96a applications)

Applications that meet the DFP eligibility criteria but cannot be assessed under Clause 53.22 or Clause 53.23 may be considered via a planning scheme amendment or section 96a combined planning permit application and planning scheme amendment.

This pathway may be suited for applications that require:

• changes to the zone to allow for the proposed use
• changes local planning scheme provisions
• new planning controls to facilitate or control development
• regional residential projects

DFP assessment process

The assessment process for DFP applications is outlined below.

How to apply

DFP pre-application enquiry

Applicants must submit a pre-application enquiry before lodging a DFP application.  DTP’s dedicated pre-application enquiry service will:

• Confirm if a project is eligible for the program
• Review pre-application enquiry materials and provide preliminary feedback
• Identify what information is needed for a complete application
• Engage with referral agencies and councils (if needed)
• Facilitate a design review process with the Office of the Victorian Government Authority (if needed)
• Review final application documents to confirm application completeness
• Coordinate Invest Victoria’s feasibility assessment
• Provide instructions for lodging DFP applications

Applicants should not pay the Metropolitan Planning Levy or application fees until directed by DTP.

Submit a DFP pre-application enquiry

Submit a DFP pre-application enquiry for a renewable energy project

Resources

DTP has prepared the following guides to help applicants in preparing DFP applications:

Solar energy facilities design and development guideline

Guidelines for development of wind energy facilities in Victoria

Governance

A dedicated facilitation team has been established within DTP to oversee the program.

All projects will be considered under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 including probity and confidentiality and will be subject to the same level of rigorous assessment and opportunity for consultation as per the standard assessment process.

The Minister for Planning appointed the Development Facilitation Program Standing Advisory Committee (DFPSAC), comprising Victorian Government executives, to review and oversee all planning scheme amendment requests that come through the program.

The DFPSAC will monitor the program via regular reporting. It will also monitor all reporting on DTP’s business as usual statutory planning functions, such as planning scheme amendments and planning permits. This will ensure all statutory decisions where the Minister for Planning is responsible are made in a timely manner.

Page last updated: 12/04/24