NEW neighbourhood character guidelines will be developed by Wyndham Council in a bid to provide planning clarity.
The council will fund a strategy as part of its 2013-14 budget.
Acting chief executive Bill Forrest said that in the past 12 months the council had refused 16 applications where one or more of the grounds related to neighbourhood character. Eight were appealed by the applicant, with one refusal supported by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, one decision overturned and decisions pending for another six.
The strategy will provide detailed neighbourhood character statements, planning policy and design guidelines, with community input to be sought.
“On occasion, VCAT has noted that the Wyndham planning scheme does not contain any direction as to an area’s preferred character,” Mr Forrest said. Neighbourhood character guidelines will provide preferred and discouraged results but will not specify what is allowed in a particular area.
