The Victorian Government has established a state-wide advisory service to support the efficient consideration of planning approvals and to grow and expand agribusinesses.
The Agriculture Victoria Planning and Advisory Service will support council planners and agribusinesses to understand planning requirements to establish or expand agriculture developments.
The Advisory Service can help agribusiness to efficiently navigate the planning process which may reduce the time and costs associated with agricultural planning applications and minimise land-use conflict.
The new service builds on the successful Panel of Animal Industries Experts which has operated since June 2018 and will expand to include horticulture and grains.
Agriculture Victoria Chief Executive Matt Lowe said the Advisory Service would provide expert agricultural advice and strengthen links between agricultural landholders and local government planners for better agricultural planning outcomes.
Council planners and agricultural landholders will have access to state-wide advisors with specialist knowledge of planning for Victorian agricultural farming systems from small-scale producers through to large commercial operations.
Agriculture Victoria Advisory Service Coordinator Mick O’Keefe said the new service would be welcomed by agribusinesses looking to set up, expand or diversify.
“It will help agricultural businesses identify and meet planning requirements for various farm developments and provide technical support and learning events to build the agricultural expertise of council planners.”
Landholders can also make use of Agriculture Victoria’s Navigating Farm Developments tool to identify the statutory and planning requirements related to their specific development such as dairy sheds, cattle feedlot, feedpad, stock containment area, contained animal housing and many more.
The service is part of the overall Planning for Agricultural Growth initiative, which supports easier, faster and smarter agricultural planning in Victoria.
The Advisory Service helps to deliver the Victorian Government’s Agriculture Strategy commitment to support farmers with information and tools and to create the right conditions for investment in Victoria.
The Advisory Service has received funding from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Agriculture Victoria and the Department of Treasury and Finance until June 2023.
A DELWP spokesperson said we are contributing $650,000 to the project, which builds upon work being undertaken to better plan for Melbourne’s Green Wedges and surrounding agricultural land.
“This new service will allow regional and rural council planners to call upon specialist agricultural and planning advice and accelerate the planning process.”
This project is being part-funded by the Regulation Reform Incentive Fund, a $40 million fund, which supports more than 20 projects that are speeding up approvals and making it easier for businesses to deal with government and strengthen our state’s economic recovery.
