Hi Sellmyhouse,

It's an interesting scenario. We recently completed a similar project in Malvern East in Victoria.
They can be quite tricky, depending on the existing conditions of the site.

Where is the property located?

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All the best,
Breece

G'day Oscar,
Great work sharing this info with the forum. 
It looks like a great site for you.

It would be great to catch up for a coffee when you've got a bit of time.

For now though, keep the wind in your sails while the Autumn sun is still shining.

All the best,
Breece

Another reason we should be encouraging infill development…

A Tale of Two Melbournes
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/10b-price-tag-to-service-citys-growth-areas-20130212-2eb62.html

Hi SmartCube,

The first question I would ask is "for what purpose?"

Do you intend to live a simple life, close to schools, an activity centre with shops and amenities for you and your family to enjoy? 

Or are you looking to develop this property into 2-3 townhouses?

Point Cook has some advantages from a cost and amenity perspective, however…[Read more]

Darryl!

It's great to put a face to a name! (You'll see I'm a bit slow with joining the dots here).

I wrote the Melbourne section in that article, but I thought yours was well researched, concise and informative.
http://apimagazine.com.au/api-online/newsletter/13/january-newsletter/town-planner-qa-approaching-a-splitter-block

Do you mind if I…[Read more]

Good point there Catalyst, good luck with your renovations!

Your comment reminds me of Rumsfeld's famous quote:
"There are known knowns;
there are things we know we know.
We also know there are known unknowns;
that is to say, we know there are some things we do not know.
But there are also unknown unknowns
– the ones we don’t know we don’t…[Read more]

Good point Darryl,

I hadn't considered the benefits or advantage of our PI insurance over an individual's position.

Which leads to another question..

What factors influence your choice of one professional over another? – Is it purely on cost? Results? 'The vibe?'

When we established our practice, we were fortunate to have access to one of the…[Read more]

Hi bnd,

The Strategic Planning unit in a Council deals with Planning Scheme Amendments (rezonings), Urban Design Frameworks, Structure Plans.
You need to contact the Statutory Planning Department to discuss the redevelopment of your property.
(Sorry to nit-pick everyone, but it will save lots of time by not having to explain your story to the…[Read more]

Gotta love a good Celtic accent Bosco!

Your new Town Planner friend was referring to Clause 55, which is the Victorian Town Planning control which dictates the requirements for multi-unit development.

The planner at Knox raises a good point about precedent. Each site needs to be assessed on its merits, and just because there's several examples…[Read more]

AlBosco, 
No worries, that's what we're all here for. Sharing info and helping each other out.

Some quick replies because it's past my bedtime…

1. The Knox Public Open Space contribution is 8.5% of the site value, or 8.5% of the land, or a combination of both.
It's truly shocking on a number of levels.

2. I breifly reviewed your site location…[Read more]

Hi AlBosco and Dwolf,

Dwolf raises an excellent point with the Public Open Space Contribution levy for Knox City Council.

We have recently completed a number of Property Development Assessments for clients in Knox. One was for a couple who have a 1,300m2 property in Boronia and another two PDAs were for a client who was looking to acquire a…[Read more]

We strongly recommend our clients use the services of Stacey Surveying, as we have found Ash to be competitive on price and simply the best surveyor when it comes to attention to detail.

I cannot speak highly enough of his professionalism and drive to deliver the best service possible. It has been wonderful to watch Ash's business grow. 

Here is…[Read more]

G'day Ash and everyone,

Ash, your comment about slowing/stopping subdivision in the inner ring of suburbs is a bit off the mark, the proposed zone known as the Residential Growth Zone is the one that will be applied broadly in the inner suburbs, close to Activity Centres, train stations and other areas suitable for increased housing activity.

We…[Read more]

Hi everyone, what a dispersed group we are! 
This is a great way to stay connected and learn from each other.
I'm really enjoying this new site layout and all the functions! 

I'm very fortunate to live in Albert Park, Victoria in a small townhouse with my lovely partner.

All the best,
Breece 

Hi Simone,

Just looking at your calculations from a purely Town Planning perspective, you may want to get some more accurate price ranges for your development.

$15k for plans and permits is incredibly ambitious. (Remember you will need more than just a Planner.. You will also need a surveyor and architect/draftsman as the bare minimum)

Without…[Read more]

Hi The Pups,

We were actually talking about this situation the other day in the office. The way we see it, there are several doors that a client can enter through to commence their development. You’ve correctly identified a Land surveyor, Town planning consultant or an Architect as a logical first step.
If you prefer to do it yourself, most…[Read more]

I would also recommend reviewing your financial position and consider all of your options.
Without knowing the location or planning controls for this site, it is difficult to give specific advice. However, in many cases a 900sqm block in Melbourne’s middle suburbs can be readily subdivided into. 2, 3, or 4 lots.
By getting a specialist to complete…[Read more]

Hi everyone,
Ashley, as always your information provided is very helpful. I appreciate the time you take on this forum.

We’ve found a lot of people coming to us with queries about the distinction between a straight subdivision of land versus a multi-unit development application. The obvious difference is that one cuts up the land whilst the other…[Read more]

No worries Merf,
Hopefully a few other forum members will be able to assist you with their own experiences.
Cheers,
Breece

Hi quickchick and Merf,
I know this particular property very well.

For all users of the forum, herein lies the danger of our variously different State based planning legislation. They’re all utterly different!
What is true in Queensland isn’t necessarily so down here in Victoria.

This is where it’s usually beneficial to engage a Town Planner to…[Read more]