Duplexes and Two-Dwelling Projects Now Fast-Tracked with VicSmart

The Victorian Government has just introduced Amendment VC288, and it’s a game-changer for anyone looking to build or subdivide small-scale residential projects!!

In simple terms, VC288 expands the streamlined VicSmart assessment process to now include:

• The construction of two dwellings on a lot; and

• The subdivision of land into two lots

This change is huge for duplex developers, homeowners, and investors — making smaller-scale projects cheaper, faster, and much more predictable.

What is VicSmart?

VicSmart is Victoria’s fast-track planning permit system. It’s designed for straightforward applications with minimal impact on the wider community.

Key features include:

• 10-day permit process – far quicker than the standard process, which can drag on for months.

• No advertising or objections – the application isn’t put on public notice, so no neighbour disputes stalling things.

• Preset information & decision criteria – both what you need to submit and what council can assess are locked in from the start.

• Decided by council CEO or delegate – avoiding drawn-out council meetings.

In short: VicSmart is faster, simpler, and cheaper. And now, thanks to VC288, it covers a much larger slice of the residential market.

What Amendment VC288 Does

Previously, duplex (two-dwelling) projects and simple two-lot subdivisions always had to go through the full planning process. That meant: advertising, objections, long delays, more consultant fees, and plenty of uncertainty.

Now, if your project meets certain standards, it can qualify for VicSmart.

Two dwellings on a lot

An application to build two dwellings on a lot can now be treated as VicSmart in six residential zones (including General Residential Zone and Neighbourhood Residential Zone)

To qualify, the design must meet the key Clause 55 “ResCode” standards, including:

• Street setback

• Building height

• Side and rear setbacks

• Walls on boundaries

• Site coverage

• Access

• Tree canopy

• Front fences

• Daylight, overshadowing, overlooking, and solar protection standards

  
  

Minimum garden area and maximum building height rules also still apply.

Why This Is a Game-Changer for Duplex Development

The implications of VC288 for small-scale residential development are massive:

• Speed = lower holding costs

  Cutting assessment from months to just 10 business days slashes the cost of delays.

• Cheaper approvals

  Less advertising, fewer consultant reports, and less time spent tweaking designs to appease objections.

• Certainty for developers

  If you design to meet Clause 55, approval is far more predictable. This makes feasibility studies and financial modelling much clearer.

• Boosting project viability

  Duplex projects that were previously marginal (too much risk or too high holding costs) are now far more financially feasible.

• Supporting housing supply

  This aligns with Victoria’s Housing Statement and the National Housing Accord goals: making it easier to deliver more homes, faster, in existing neighbourhoods.

The Bottom Line

Amendment VC288 is one of the most significant planning changes in years for small-scale housing in Victoria. By bringing duplex builds and two-lot subdivisions into the VicSmart system, the government has made it faster, cheaper, and simpler to deliver the kinds of housing our state urgently needs.

For homeowners, investors, and builders, this could be the moment duplexes go from “too hard” to “too good to pass up.”