Spring Street releases Apartment Design, Urban Design Guidelines and Apartment Buyers guides
Minister for Planning Richard Wynne has released the Apartment Design Guidelines for Victoria, an Apartment Buyers and Renters Guide as well as a new non-statutory Design Advisory Service for the property community.
The Labor Government has already introduced new standards that ensure new apartments are built with light, storage, ventilation and enough room to fit beds and furniture.
These new guidelines will help developers meet their obligations and help local councils get their approvals right.
The Labor Government has listened to the industry and the community, running a series of workshops earlier this year to inform the Guidelines. Councils, planners, developers and consumers have all had their say.
The bar has been raised and the industry is responding. There has already been a vast reduction of apartments with saddleback bedrooms, increases to floor area, and a greater mix of dwellings all over Melbourne.
The Labor Government is planning a Design Advisory Service to offer specialist advice to developers.
The voluntary process will be aimed at larger-scale apartment developments and will include advice from experienced apartment design specialists such as architects, building designers, urban designers and planners.
Minister for Planning Media Release
The Apartment Buyers and Renters guide provides guidance to future buyers or renters of apartments and is broken down in two parts. Part 1 includes all relevant links to resources at Consumer Affairs Victoria and Part 2 deals with practicalities in apartments, and what buyers and renters alike should look out for when looking to buy or rent an apartment.
Part 2 of the Apartment Buyers and Renters guide asks a series of questions to prompt future buyers or renters might want to answer across a range of topics, from windows and natural light, thermal comfort and natural ventilation, functional layout to storage, local amenity, and energy efficiency.
All guides and related information on the Design Advisory Service can be accessed on planning.vic.gov.au
