5 May 2026

The Department of Transport and Planning has updated the bushfire provisions in all planning schemes to provide clearer information and stronger decision-making.

These small but reasonable updates make our existing bushfire controls easier for landowners, councils and other decision makers to use. They do this by using clearer language, improving the structure, and strengthening decision making that prioritises human life.

The changes will make new communities more bushfire resilient, ensure bushfire protection measures apply to the right places, give homeowners more flexibility for low-risk projects, and strengthen bushfire protection measures for vulnerable uses like child care, disability accommodation, and group accommodation.

Our updates are based on feedback we’ve received from councils, communities and experts in bushfire-prone areas across Victoria.

Amendment VC248 improves the bushfire provisions by:

  • improving the definition of a low-risk area
  • ensuring new homes in low to moderate bushfire risk areas are also built with bushfire protection measures that are appropriate to the risk
  • ensuring that the risk for vulnerable people is considered when approving new development, for example childcare centres, aged care and disability accommodation
  • enabling radiant heat protection in all subdivision designs
  • improving permit exemptions in the Bushfire Management Overlay
  • protecting development from new bushfire hazards.

We have released guidance material to support the changes. The updated planning guidance makes it easier for landowners to prepare permit applications and will assist councils and other decision makers to make the right decisions about managing bushfire risk.

This will enable us to better manage bushfire risks as we plan for more homes in the places people want to live, consistent with Plan for Victoria Action 19: better communicate and manage flood, bushfire and climate hazard risks.

More information

Page last updated: 05/05/26