Whilst a quiet month in the Planning and Environment List at VCAT in August with only 44 decisions reported, several decisions ‘packed a punch’. For our part, Glossop enjoyed another busy month of appearances either as an advocate (Hew Gerrard) or expert planning witness (John Glossop) with Hew amongst the ‘winners’ in Whelan v Yarra CC [2024] VCAT 793, whilst Edwina Laidlaw from our office also successfully represented Stonnington Council in McNee v Stonnington CC [2024] VCAT 798.

July saw 63 reported decisions in the Planning and Environment List of VCAT.

There were 42 reported decisions in the Planning and Environment List of VCAT in June.

A bigger May for VCAT with 70 reported decisions in the Planning and Environment List. Rural councils featured heavily in those decisions of interest this month, which included:

Forty-nine decisions in the Planning and Environment List at VCAT in April including the first appearances for the year for Benalla RCC, Hindmarsh SC and Alpine SC.

A busier month for decisions in the Planning and Environment List in March with 61 reported decisions. While there were no ‘red dot’ decisions there were several of interest including:

February fell one short of a half century with 49 reported decisions in the Planning and Environment List. Decisions of interest this month included:

After the release of Victoria’s Housing Statement: The decade ahead 2024-2034 (the statement) on 20 September 2023, we shared key changes that happened along with the gazettal of amendments VC242 and VC253. This article summarises the ‘Small Second Dwelling’ provision, a new planning term introduced on 14 December 2023.

The beginning of 2024 saw 48 reported decisions in the Planning and Environment List. This included the Red Dot decision of Eddy v Yarra CC (Red Dot) [2024] VCAT 2 which considered an objector appeal where an amendment to the planning scheme had been approved before the application for review was lodged and which meant planning permission was no longer required. The Tribunal held that the application for review was now misconceived and a ‘bundle of rights’ did not exist.

There were 60 published decisions of the Tribunal in the Planning and Environment List to cap off 2023. These included the Red Dot decision of