Victoria Introduces the Mid-Rise Code

The Victorian Government has announced a Mid-Rise Code, which is a new planning framework that the government says is intended to facilitate medium-density housing development. It has been gazetted today, 19 March 2026, but will become operational on 16 April 2026 with the planning schemes updated at this time.

The reform forms part of a broader package of planning system changes aimed at increasing housing supply across metropolitan Melbourne and regional centres.

What is the Mid-Rise Code?

The Mid-Rise Code will seek to introduce a standardised assessment pathway for residential developments between four and six storeys in residential zones.

The Code establishes a series of prescribed design and development standards. Where a proposal satisfies those standards, it may proceed through a streamlined planning assessment process.

The standards address matters including:

• building height and setbacks
• site coverage and landscaping
• access to daylight and private open space
• building services and storage
• sustainability measures.

The intent is to create a more codified form of assessment, similar to the recently introduced Townhouse and Low-Rise Code that applies to developments of up to three storeys.

That said, there has been conjecture under the previously introduced deemed-to-comply provisions about how to measure and/or assess compliance with the standards, with some Council’s seeking to err on side of caution regarding compliance, and seeking to go out to notice in any event.

Assessment pathway

Under the Mid-Rise Code, proposals that meet the specified standards may be assessed through a deemed-to-comply pathway.

In practical terms, this means the responsible authority’s role becomes primarily focused on determining whether the proposal satisfies the applicable standards, rather than undertaking a broader discretionary planning assessment.

The reforms are expected to alter aspects of the notice, objection and review processes that would ordinarily apply to planning permit applications.

Implications for the planning system

The introduction of the Mid-Rise Code represents a further move towards codified planning controls for residential development.

While the detailed operation of the Code will become clearer as the provisions are implemented through the planning scheme, the reforms are expected to influence:

• how councils assess medium-density housing proposals
• the scope of planning discretion in permit assessments
• the role of third-party participation in the planning process.

If you seek an understanding of how this new code may impact on your development, please reach out to a member of our planning law team.