Planning proposals must assess and apply bushfire protection measures
All planning proposals including strategic planning documents, planning scheme amendment and planning permit applications must identify and include bushfire protection measures in the design response wherever there is a bushfire hazard. They must also demonstrate that they can be adequately implemented.
Bushfire protection measures ensure that development can better withstand the effects of a bushfire event and help ensure risk to existing and future residents, property and community infrastructure is not increased. Importantly they themselves make a development suitable.
A range of bushfire protection measure requirements are set out in different parts of the planning scheme. Their suitability and application will be dependent on the nature of the proposal. They can be passive (for example, the layout of buildings), or active (vegetation management).
Applying bushfire protection measures should never be delayed to later decisions or approvals. This is particularly relevant for strategic planning proposals and planning scheme amendments. Bushfire must be considered and included at the earliest stages of design and approved as part of the decision process.
The need for bushfire protection measures arise from the outcomes of bushfire hazard assessments. Bushfire protection measures should give the decision maker confidence that bushfire can be managed in the ongoing use of the land and that the planning approval is appropriate.
The suitability of a location for development should always be considered first. Bushfire protection measures should only be applied to build resilience and to better manage the residual (or remaining) bushfire risk once it is decided the location is suitable.
More information
Building in bushfire prone areas
Page last updated: 07/11/22