Design Excellence Scorecard

• What is your view on the Scorecard?
• If you are elected to Council, would you, in the first Council meeting of the new term, call for an independent review of the scorecard by an appropriately experienced and independent consultant with a track record of effective community consultation; to conduct an effective consultation process; and for this review to be completed within 3 months of the new Council term?

Design excellent is a good thing.

Subverting residents rights to object and fast-tracking of developer applications is not.

I think the provision to allow fast-tracking to avoid resident scrutiny should be scrapped in its entirety without further review.

Local governments have made substantial input into standards for sustainable housing. These local planning guidelines add onto design standards such as Green Star Buildings and NatHERS Energy Efficiency Standards. I have more to say on this at A better BESS.

Any attempt to allow developers to fast-track usual processes, and especially ones that cut-out the community from objecting, must be opposed.

https://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/planning-building/design-excellence-scorecard/

“Benefits of participating

There are a number of incentives for participants to meet the requirements of the Scorecard:

1. An opportunity for additional pre-application meetings with Council Officers free of charge.
2. The Council Officer you meet at the pre-application meeting will manage the permit application, where possible.
3. Support through the application process from a Senior Planner and a Planning Coordinator.
4. A guaranteed decision by Council Officers, rather than at a Council meeting, resulting in a potential time saving of 4 to 6 weeks.
5. An additional meeting with Council Officers after a decision is made to facilitate endorsement of plans and reports.
6. Receive a Scorecard logo that can be used as part of development marketing and promotional material.”