Amendment C376: Sustainable Building Design proposes changes to the planning rules to:

  • Improve the liveability, experience and economic performance of the city by increasing the gardens and greenery visible to people from the street.
  • Improve the performance of new buildings to reduce operational costs such as heating, cooling and water, and to support net-zero building transitions.
  • Update policy in the Melbourne Planning Scheme with contemporary terms and standards already well-established in the industry.

All land in the municipality will be subject to the new planning rules, however they will only apply to new planning applications – not existing buildings. Building owners and occupiers will not be required to make changes to existing buildings.

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Timeline

  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    Future Melbourne Committee meeting

    Council endorsed draft Amendment C376 to the Melbourne Planning Scheme and resolved to request authorisation from the Minister for Planning to prepare and exhibit the amendment.

    15 September 2020

  • Timeline item 2 - complete

    Authorisation received to proceed

    25 October 2022

  • Timeline item 3 - complete

    Community consultation

    2 March to 17 April 2023

  • Timeline item 4 - complete

    Submissions to Future Melbourne Committee

    On 21 May 2024, Council’s Future Melbourne Committee considered all submissions and referred them to an independent planning panel for review.

  • Timeline item 5 - complete

    Submissions to the independent panel or Ministerial Standing Advisory Committee

    The independent Planning Panel Hearing was held from 19 August to 23 August 2024.

  • Timeline item 6 - complete

    Future Melbourne Committee considers the panel report

    The Future Melbourne Committee met on 15 July 2025 and recommended that Council adopts Amendment C376

  • Timeline item 7 - active

    Amendment C376 is presented at a Council Meeting for adoption

    Council will consider adopting Amendment C376: Sustainable Building Design at the 29 July 2025 Council Meeting.

  • Timeline item 8 - incomplete

    Approval by Minster for Planning

    If Council adopts Amendment C376, management will send it to the Minister for Planning for final approval and gazettal.

The following types of planning applications apply:

  • All developments requiring a planning permit will be subject to new planning policy about environmentally sustainable design.
  • Most new buildings will be subject to specific building design requirements.
  • Most large alterations and additions which result in more than 1000 square metres additional gross floor area will be subject to building design requirements.
  • Most developments in the Capital City Zone and Docklands Zone will be subject to sustainable transport requirements.

Find out about how the amendment may affect you.

By ensuring that performance standards for energy, waste, water, transport, urban heat and urban ecology are integrated into the design of buildings at the planning stage, our built environment will become more resilient, more efficient and a more livable place to be.

These new planning rules will reduce the emissions of new and redeveloped buildings in the City, which is an important step in achieving net zero emissions by 2040. In addition, the planning rules are designed to improve the liveability of the city as the climate gets hotter and more extreme. For example greening will help cool buildings during a heatwave, and using water wisely will help us cope better with drought events, both of which are becoming more common. Together, the new planning rules will also make buildings cheaper to operate.

To support the achievement of urban ecology outcomes in this amendment, we have developed and integrated the City of Melbourne's Green Factor tool which will optimise the design of green infrastructure and external landscaping for development proposals. For other categories of outcomes, we have linked to industry recognised frameworks and tools which will ensure the performance of our built environment achieves a nation-leading standard.

Amendment process

Public consultation on the amendment took place between 2 March and 17 April 2023.

FMC resolved on 21 May 2024 to refer all submissions to an independent Planning Panel appointed by the Minister for Planning in accordance with the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

The Planning Panel completed its report (PDF 2660 KB) on 18 October 2024.

Before making a final decision on the amendment, Council will consider the report of the Planning Panel. If the amendment is adopted by Council then it will be submitted to the Minister for Planning for final approval.

Make a submission

Making a submission

Amendment C376 was open for exhibition between 2 March and 17 April 2023. Submissions are now closed.

Information sessions

We ran three online information sessions to assist you to learn more about the amendment:

  • Practitioner session: 11am-12pm, 16 March 2023
  • Practitioner session: 4pm-5pm, 22 March 2023
  • Resident groups and public: 6pm-7pm, 22 March 2023.

Ask a question

Ask a question

For any further questions about this amendment, please contact the planning policy team by:

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