DM WEEKLY ROUNDUP ISSUE 5

The Weekly Roundup

ISSUE #5

DESIGN MATTERS NATIONAL

Welcome to your weekly industry news roundup. Our analysis focuses on developments curated from various publications, impacting building design practices, with actionable insights for your professional work.

ESSENTIAL UPDATES The housing policy landscape continues to evolve rapidly across Australia this week.

Major themes include Victoria's continuing housing reforms with the announcement of 25 new Activity Centres, planning challenges in NSW, emerging quality control measures, and ongoing debate about tax reform's role in housing development. The news cycle highlights the tensions between accelerating housing delivery, maintaining community character, and addressing housing affordability through streamlined approval processes.

06 Mar 2025

In this newsletter you can expect: Victorian housing activity centres and planning reforms

NSW planning policy developments

Building quality and consumer protection

Tax reform and housing viability

VICTORIAN HOUSING ACTIVITY CENTRES AND PLANNING REFORMS The Victorian government has announced the final 25 areas where it will seize planning controls to increase housing density, including affluent suburbs such as Prahran, South Yarra, and Windsor.

Additionally, Melbourne and Yarra local government areas have been named "city-wide activity centres" for rezoning under-utilised areas (The Guardian).

This marks a significant step in the government's ambitious plan to add 300,000 homes across 50 centres by 2051, focusing on development near high-frequency train lines and busy tram corridors.

Premier Jacinta Allan and Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny emphasised that these new controls will be designed alongside councils and communities, while preparing Melbourne's innercity for future growth (Victorian Government Media Release).

Opposition to these plans has emerged, with Shadow Minister for Planning Richard Riordan describing the announcement as "re-drawing Melbourne without consultation" and arguing that the government is avoiding addressing the real barriers to housing supply: "crippling taxes and over-regulation" (Opposition Media Release).

Industry experts have voiced similar concerns, with The Age reporting that property consultants, industry groups, developers, and urban planners believe the Victorian government's plans won't deliver more homes until the property tax burden rendering most developments financially unviable is addressed.

Designers interested in efficient project delivery within evolving planning frameworks should consider our April 12 Contract Administration Workshop.

This session provides essential skills to navigate complex approval processes and manage client expectations—increasingly critical as planning policies shift across jurisdictions.

NSW PLANNING POLICY DEVELOPMENTS Sydney's planning framework is undergoing significant changes, with the Sydney Morning Herald reporting that a key planning document outlining a vision of Sydney as a region of six cities has been "quietly deleted" by the state government.

Meanwhile, controversy surrounds the state's "missing middle" housing reforms, with accusations that the government is putting "politics over planning" in how these contentious reforms are distributed among Sydney electorates (SMH).

In more positive developments, thirteen new housing designs have been commissioned for the New South Wales Housing Pattern Book, aiming to expedite home delivery. Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully states the pattern book has received the "stamp of approval" from the Government Architect NSW, though some architects have expressed concerns about a potential "one-size-fits-all" approach to housing solutions (ABC News).

The pattern book initiative comes amid industry frustration over lengthy, complex approvals processes that developers say are adding years to project timelines – sometimes up to seven years – making it harder to meet Sydney's housing demand (The Urban Developer).

The Contract Administration Workshop series (starting April 12) provides essential skills for building designers to confidently manage projects within this complex environment of rising costs, infrastructure initiatives, and economic pressures.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND POPULATION PLANNING Infrastructure Victoria has warned that the state will need to build another 60 government schools by 2036 to keep up with demand as the population grows by more than a million every decade.

The report suggests classrooms in schools may need to be "crammed" to accommodate the surge in population (The Age).

The Tasmanian Government has made significant infrastructure commitments, releasing an independent review of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme's residential standards that recommends modernizing requirements for housing approvals across the state. Minister for Housing, Planning and Consumer Affairs Felix Ellis welcomed the report's recommendations, stating: "Making the planning rules more pro-growth is key to getting more homes built, faster" (Tasmania Government Media Release).

In Victoria, the government has approved the Officer South Precinct Structure Plan and opened consultation on three further precincts, aiming to deliver land for more homes, backyards, and jobs in Melbourne's west and southeast. Officer South is set to become a major hub for business growth and investment, supporting 22,000 new jobs and 1,600 homes (Victorian Government Media Release).

Our May 15 Ask a Surveyor: What Constitutes a Cadastral Survey? session provides essential information for designers working on new developments in growth areas.

Understanding these fundamentals becomes increasingly important as governments fasttrack precinct structure plans to address housing and infrastructure needs.

HOUSING QUALITY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) has published two informative videos addressing common building compliance issues. The first video explains why siting details for Class 1 single dwellings and Class 10 buildings must be clearly outlined in allotment plans, covering critical elements such as impermeable surfaces, car parking spaces, private open space, and nearby structures.

Watch the video: Siting of Class 1 single dwellings and Class 10 buildings For more information, refer to Building Practice Note: Siting of Class 1 Single Dwellings, Class 10a Buildings, and Fences (SI 01).

The second video addresses the process for amending building permits when design changes occur after a permit has been issued. It emphasises that these changes must be submitted to the relevant building surveyor for an amended permit before work begins, with potential significant penalties for non-compliance.

Watch the video: Amending a building permit for design changes For more information about building permit requirements, refer to Building Practice Note: Building Permits and Other Exemptions (BP 01).

Seeking registration with the VBA either now or in the near future?

Register for our Building Practitioner Pre-Registration Course for VBA

Looking to stay compliant with building regulations while managing increasing quality assurance expectations? Our March 12 & 19 NCC 2022 Condensation Provisions Workshops offer critical guidance on meeting technical building requirements.

These workshops address the practical application of condensation provisions— particularly relevant as consumer protection measures intensify across the industry.

In related developments, the Allan government has announced measures to enhance consumer protection for new home buyers. Developers will be required to pay a bond covering apartment defects, and claiming domestic building insurance will be simplified under the government's attempt to reform the building industry (The Age). However, criticism has emerged claiming the government is trying to "quietly slug developers with an extra charge on home builds" under this consumer protection law overhaul (Herald Sun).

An opinion piece in The Age provides personal insights into Melbourne's urban development challenges, with the author describing their experience living in "what's been called Melbourne's worst development." The writer points out how the absence of shops and restaurants within massive urban renewal projects undermines the appeal of urban living, offering a "lesson in what not to do" for future developments.

For designers looking to stay compliant with building regulations while managing increasing quality assurance expectations, our March 12 & 19 NCC 2022 Condensation Provisions Workshops offer critical guidance on meeting technical building requirements. These workshops address the practical application of condensation provisions—particularly relevant as consumer protection measures intensify across the industry.

TAX REFORM AND HOUSING VIABILITY Industry experts continue to emphasise that tax reform is essential for housing initiatives to succeed. According to The Age, the Victorian government's plans for more apartments, townhouses, and units in Melbourne's established suburbs are unlikely to deliver more homes until the property tax burden that has rendered most developments financially unviable is addressed.

This perspective is echoed by economist Ross Gittins, who argues in the Sydney Morning Herald that Australia's housing industry has stagnated over the past 30 years, stating: "While most of our industries have improved greatly over the past 30 years, the housing industry hasn't. If anything, it's getting worse." He suggests that red tape is only part of the problem in an industry that's "going nowhere fast."

In Western Australia, WAToday offers a detailed analysis of the state's housing crisis, examining what has changed since Labor took office in 2017 and providing key housing metrics that illustrate the escalating challenges in the state's housing market.

Our May 26 Building a Successful Career: Winning Work & Keeping Clients workshop provides valuable strategies for designers seeking to remain commercially viable despite challenging economic conditions.

The session with Britta Siggelkow offers practical approaches to business development within the context of Australia's complex housing market and regulatory environment.

INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The building and construction industry mourns the loss of a significant leader with the passing of Brian Seidler AM, the long-standing Executive Director of Master Builders Association of NSW. Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn acknowledged his 40-year devotion to ensuring the industry's voice was heard: "The building and construction industry is in a better place because of Brian Seidler" (MBA Media Release).

The industry continues to adapt to technological advances, with Sydney-based Software Combined Group acquiring Hero Software, a Brisbane company offering NatHERS compliance measuring and advisory. Hero Software provides an "easy to use" energy modelling platform for building assessors and raters, helping determine whether dwellings meet the 7-star energy efficiency ratings required by the National Construction Code (The Meanwhile, Master Builders Australia Fifth Estate). is launching its Federal Election campaign, putting all parties and On the equity front, Australia's independents "on notice to stop the Workplace Gender Equity Agency talk and deliver real action to end (WGEA) has released its gender the housing crisis." The campaign, pay gap data for 2023-2024, "More Homes For Aussies," focuses revealing gender pay gap on key areas to ensure adequate information of architecture and housing supply and supporting landscape architecture firms infrastructure across the housing (Architecture AU). spectrum (MBA Media Release). .

ALTERNATIVE HOUSING MODELS AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Australia is experiencing a cultural shift toward smaller, more central dwellings, according to housing experts cited by ABC News. They suggest that increasing numbers of people want to live in smaller, more central dwellings and argue for more two to three-story apartment buildings in regional cities to help address the housing crisis.

The article notes that councils are being urged to consider if their development approval processes match changing community sentiment, suggesting a potential path forward in addressing housing affordability challenges.

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WOMEN OF DMN NETWORKING EVENTS This week we're excited to host our Women of DMN Catch Up events!

Northside: Tonight, March 6, 7:00 PM at Northside Wines, 543-545 High St Northcote, Melbourne Southside: Tomorrow, March 7, 12:30 PM at Next Door At Omar & the Marvellous Coffee Bird, Melbourne There's still time to register if you haven't already—the more the merrier! These events provide excellent opportunities to connect with fellow industry professionals in a relaxed setting.

UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH 2025 Women of DMN Catch Up at Northside Wines Date: Mar 6 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Northside Wines, 543-545 High St Northcote, Melbourne VIC 3070 Status: 7 day/s till Registration closes Women of DMN Catch Up at Next Door Date: Mar 7 Time: 12:30 PM Location: Next Door At Omar & the Marvellous Coffee Bird, Melbourne VIC 3185 Status: Hurry! Limited Places Remaining Ask an Assessor Series Date: Mar 11 Time: 2:00 PM Location: Live, Online & Interactive (AEDT) Topic: Optimise your 7-Star Designs Strategic energy assessment for better client outcomes Presenter: Tim Adams & Jeremy Spencer Status: Registrations Closing Soon!

NCC 2022 Condensation Provisions - Design Considerations and Practical Applications PART 1 Date: Mar 12 Time: 1:00PM (AEDT) Location: Online Duration: 2hrs Status: Registations Closing Soon!

NCC 2022 Condensation Provisions - Design Considerations and Practical Applications PART 2 Date: Mar 19 Time: 1:00PM (AEDT) Location: Online Duration: 2hrs Status: Registrations Closing Soon!

Upskill Now Masterclass (Thermal) Date: Mar 20 Time: 12:00PM (AEDT) Location: Online Duration: 4hrs Status: Registrations Closing Soon!

Women of DMN: Networs of success - Lunch + Q&A Panel Date: Mar 21 Time: 12:00PM (AWST) Location: Caesarstone Showroom, Homebase Duration: 2.5hrs Panelists: Sarah Urbani | Cara Little | Debbie Bute | Anne Courtney Bennett Status: Registrations Closing Soon!

DMN 2025 South Africa Study Tour Info Evening Date: Mar 25 Time: 6:00 PM Location: 1 Queens Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004 Status: Registrations Closing Soon!

Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) Services Overview -- WA Members Only Date: Mar 27 Time: 2:00 PM Location: Online (AWST)

DMN 2025 South Africa Study Tour Briefing Date: Mar 25 Time: 2:00PM (AEDT) Location: Online Duration: 1hr Presenter: Mike Tuzee | Impact Events

APRIL 2025 Contract Administration Workshop Date: Apr 12 Time: 8:30 AM Location: Online (AEST) Presenter: Geoff Hoare

MAY 2025 Member Breakfast and Tour of 555 Collins Date: May 6 Time: 8:00 AM Location: 555 Collins St, Melbourne Ask a Surveyor: What Constitutes a Cadastral Survey?

Date: May 15 Time: 2:00 PM Location: Online (AEST)

Building a Successful Career: Winning Work & Keeping Clients Date: May 26 Time: 6:00 PM Location: Online (AEDT) Presenter: Britta Siggelkow

JUNE 2025

SEPTEMBER 2025

FirstRate5 LIVE: Model Class 2 MultiDwellings (v3.2) Date: Jun 20 Time: 12:00 PM Location: Online (AEST)

Building Practitioner PreRegistration Course for VBA Date: Sep 17 Time: 6:00 PM Location: Online (AEST) Presenter: Geoff Hoare

Contract Administration Workshop Date: Jun 28 Time: 8:30 AM Location: Online (AEST) Presenter: Geoff Hoare

Contract Administration Workshop Date: Sep 27 Time: 8:30 AM Location: Online (AEST) Presenter: Geoff Hoare

SOURCES IN THIS ISSUE The Guardian, The Age, SMH, Herald Sun, ABC News, The Urban Developer, Architecture AU, The Fifth Estate, WAToday, Victorian Government Media Release, Opposition Media Release, Master Builders Australia Media Release View all upcoming CPD opportunities Access our online learning resources

Thank you for reading!