Mornington Peninsula Shire
The shortage of affordable housing on the Mornington Peninsula is a growing challenge.
To address the growing need for affordable housing, SGS partnered with Mornington Peninsula Shire to develop a clear, evidence-based strategy for securing housing contributions through the statutory planning process. Building on Council’s existing strategic work, the strategy sought to establish a transparent framework that aligns with planning policy and legislative requirements.
The project focused on determining an appropriate contributions rate and making a strong case for its implementation. This involved examining relevant planning policies, legislative settings, development contributions models, and local housing and market dynamics.
Three potential pathways for collecting affordable housing contributions were identified:
- Pathway one: Municipal-wide application of the Specific Controls Overlay.
- Pathway two: Site-specific application of the Specific Controls Overlay or Development Plan Overlay for rezonings.
- Pathway three: Voluntary planning agreements attach to planning permits.
Pathway one was identified as the preferred approach because it provides a stronger requirement for affordable housing, providing a more fair and consistent mechanism for securing contributions.
To support implementation, the strategy included proposed draft amendments to planning provisions and a negotiations framework to guide applicants and assist decision-makers in applying the policy effectively.
