Status

Guide
current
Published:
Last updated:

On this page:

The Development Facilitation Program (DFP) is an accelerated assessment pathway for priority projects in identified sectors. The sectors target projects that will inject investment into the Victorian economy, keep people in jobs and create homes for people.

The DFP criteria has been expanded to include eligible medium to high density residential projects that provide a substantial affordable housing contribution. The Victorian government is committed to improving housing supply in well serviced locations and increase the supply of social and affordable housing across the state.

DFP assessment pathways

The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) can consider new applications or existing planning applications facing undue delays in the planning system that meet the DFP eligibility criteria.

Projects may be facilitated using the following pathways:

Clause 53.22 planning permit application

Clause 53.23 planning permit application

Further information on Clause 53.22 and Clause 53.23 permit applications

Planning scheme amendment

Combined planning scheme amendment and permit application

Applications that cannot be considered via Clause 53.22 or Clause 53.23 but continue to meet the DFP eligibility criteria can be considered via these pathways.

A summary of the DFP project selection and assessment process for this pathway can found below.

Further information on this process can be found below:

The Minister for Planning is the responsible authority for all applications submitted under the above provisions.

The DFP eligibility criteria that all applications (no matter which pathway) must meet are stepped out below.

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.

Meeting the DFP criteria does not guarantee a project will be endorsed for accelerated assessment or that the Minister for Planning or DTP (under delegation) will approve the project. All applications are assessed on planning merit which includes the following:

  • alignment with the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (including the objectives of planning in Victoria)
  • alignment with state and local provisions of the planning scheme,
  • any other relevant state policy.

The final decision on a request is made by the Minister for Planning or delegated to DTP.

Investment certainty

An application to the DFP must demonstrate a project is shovel ready. This means the project has investment certainty or capacity to secure funding.

Applications must be submitted with written advice from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Invest Victoria confirming the likely financial feasibility and investment certainty of the proposal. DTP officers will provide instructions for obtaining this written advice during the DFP pre-application enquiry process.

Further information on this process can be found below:

DFP applications for regional housing or Category 2, Clause 53.22 and Clause 53.23 planning permit applications may be exempt from requiring a quantity surveyor report and written advice from the CEO, Invest Vic. DTP officers will provide advice on how to obtain this during the DFP pre-application enquiry process.

Development component

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

Relevant sectors and thresholds

An application to the DFP must meet one of the priority sector eligibility criteria listed in the table below.

Land uses
Industry (other than materials recycling, refuse disposal, transfer station, service industry and warehouse)
Research centre
Research and development centre
LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional $10 million DC
Metropolitan $20 million DC

Land uses

Agriculture
Aquaculture
Animal Production
Timber Production
Industry

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional $10 million DC
Metropolitan $20 million DC

Land uses

Data centre

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional $10 million DC
Metropolitan $20 million DC

Land use

Tertiary institution

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional $20 million DC
Metropolitan $30 million DC

Land uses

Hospital
Medical centre

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional $10 million DC
Metropolitan $30 million DC

Land uses

Office
Research centre
Research and development centre
Industry

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional $10 million DC
Metropolitan $20 million DC

Land use

Earth and energy resources industry
Extractive industry
Mining
Mineral exploration

StateThreshold/Criteria
Earth and energy resources industry $30 million DC
Extractive industrythe estimated value of the resource to be extracted must be at least $30 million
Mining and mineral exploration$10 million DC

Land use

Office

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional 5,000 sqm GFA
Metropolitan 10,000 sqm GFA

Land uses

Accommodation (other than camping and caravan park, group accommodation and residential hotel)

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional

$15 million DC and must deliver at least 10 per cent of the total number of dwellings in the development as affordable housing.

If the application has a rezoning component the following must be met:

  • The general locality has less than five years of residential supply.
  • The land is within a defined settlement boundary and is supported by state, regional and local policy.
  • The provision of civil infrastructure and services is demonstrated as being readily achievable and supported by servicing agencies.
Metropolitan

$50 million DC and must deliver at least 10 per cent of the total number of dwellings in the development as affordable housing.

If the application has a rezoning component the following must be met:

  • Is supported by state, regional and local policy.
  • The provision of civil infrastructure and services is demonstrated as being readily achievable and supported by servicing agencies.

Land use

Retail premises (other than food and drink premises)

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional $20 million DC
Metropolitan $100 million DC

Land use

Motor racing track
Residential hotel
Camping and caravan park
Group accommodation
Restaurant
Hotel
Leisure and recreation
Exhibition centre
Function centre
Recreational boat facility
Winery
Place of assembly
Major sports and recreation facility
Minor sports and recreation facility
Outdoor recreation facility

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional $5 million DC
Metropolitan $10 million DC

Land use

Warehouse
Store

LocationThreshold/Criteria
Regional $10 million DC
Metropolitan $30 million DC

*DC = Development cost

What does ‘development cost’ mean?

The cost of the proposed development. This cost does not include the costs of development that you would undertake without a permit or that are separate from the permit process. Development costs should be calculated at a normal industry rate for the type of construction you propose.

An application to the DFP must be accompanied by a quantity surveyor report verifying the cost of development.

Ineligible applications

Not all projects are eligible for the program, including:

  • Applications to subdivide land (except where combined with a planning scheme amendment under section 96A of the Planning and Environment Act 1987)
  • Applications or consents for a use or development to which any of the following clauses apply: 52.03 (Level Crossing Removal Project), 52.20 (Victoria’s Big Housing Build), 52.30 (State Projects), 52.31 (Local Government Projects), 52.35 (Major Road Projects), 52.36 (Rail Projects), 53.19 (Non-Government Schools), 53.20 (Housing by or on behalf of Homes Victoria), 53.21 (State Transport Projects).
  • Where the Minister for Planning has authorised or directed the Victorian Planning Authority to prepare or implement a plan for an identified precinct
  • Proposals to subdivide green wedge land into more lots or into smaller lots than allowed for by the relevant planning scheme
  • Proposals for land in an Urban Growth Zone where a Precinct Structure Plan has not been prepared
  • Very complex or high impact proposals – those requiring concurrent approvals under several Acts in addition to the Planning and Environment Act 1987. For example, projects that require an Environment Effects Statement to be prepared, or projects assessed under the Major Transport Projects Facilitation Act.

How to apply

DFP pre-application enquiry

Applicants must submit a pre-application enquiry before
lodging a DFP application.

DTP provides a dedicated pre-application enquiry service
for all potential DFP applications to:

  • Confirm if a project is eligible for the program
  • Review pre-application materials and provide preliminary
    feedback
  • Engage with referral agencies and councils (if required)
  • Facilitate a design review process with the Office of the
    Victorian Government Authority (if required)
  • Coordinate Invest Victoria’s feasibility assessment
  • Provide instructions for lodging DFP applications

Submit a DFP pre-application enquiry

DTP may request you undertake a design review with the Office of the Victorian Government Architect (OVGA) during assessment of your application. DTP officers will advise you of the likelihood of this process being required for your application during the DFP pre-application enquiry process.

Governance

A dedicated facilitation team has been established within DTP to oversee the program and an independent probity advisor was engaged to ensure a robust and transparent process is maintained.

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: 04/03/24