All major developments over $10 million which have been lodged with the City or the Development Assessment Panel for consideration are automatically referred to our Design Review Panel for review and feedback. The recommendations and advice from the Design Review Panel will be taken into account as part of our consideration of the proposal.
City of Melville Design Review Panel
The Design Review Panel consists of a pool of eight design professionals, an academic and a community member.
In general, the Design Review Panel reviews major developments however they may also review smaller applications where these are complex in nature or are likely to benefit from a design review process. The Design Review Panel also provides advice on:
- structure plans
- activity centre plans
- planning strategies
- local planning policies
- local development plans
- precinct plans
- design guidelines
- amendments to the City’s Local Planning Scheme No. 6
- other matters relating to design of buildings and places
The purpose of the panel is to provide independent, expert advice on the design quality of the proposed development to the applicant, City officers, Council and the decision maker, to encourage innovative, high-quality designs that meet the needs of all stakeholders and the community.
Pre-lodgement Assessments
We encourage applicants to discuss their proposal with the Design Review Panel before lodging a planning/development application. Early pre-lodgement discussions can reduce the risks and costs associated with poor design, as any design weaknesses are identified early. It also helps to improve the overall quality of the design and smooth out the development approval process.
We encourage applicants to attend the Design Review Panel meeting in person to make a brief presentation on the key aspects of the proposal, answer any questions and receive feedback. In many cases applications are presented to the Design Review Panel more than once before they are lodged. Following each meeting, the Design Review Panel will provide the applicant with feedback, using a traffic light system consistent with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage’s Design Review Guide. This demonstrates which design elements have been addressed satisfactorily and which require further consideration.
Contact our planning team to organise a pre-lodgement assessment.
It is often necessary for the proposal to be presented to the Design Review Panel for final endorsement when the development application is lodged. The Design Review Panel is not a decision maker, however its recommendations will be taken into account to assess the proposal.
For more information about design review panels, download and read the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage’s Design Review Guide and our Local Planning Policy LPP1.2 ‘Design Review Panel’.