The Andrews Labor Government is ensuring more Victorians live in connected communities with great local services – while also supporting the creation of thousands of new jobs.

The Victorian Budget 2021/22 invests more than $28 million to further improve our state’s planning system and speed up the delivery of housing and infrastructure projects in growing communities.

The Victorian Planning Authority will receive $21 million to continue programs like Streamlining for Growth, which has delivered 229 projects since it began in 2016 and is estimated to have saved up to $470 million in time and red tape.

By investing in initiatives like these that accelerate our infrastructure program – while saving business and industry time and money – we’re also getting more Victorians into new jobs sooner.

A further $6.6 million will be provided to support the ongoing implementation of Plan Melbourne – the Labor Government’s metropolitan planning strategy until 2050.

The plan will be updated with a greater focus on driving the state’s recovery after the pandemic and will examine opportunities for flexible working arrangements and changing lifestyle priorities in the future.

As part of this, more work is being done to roll out important projects like 20‑minute neighbourhoods – which support thriving local centres and businesses – and have become increasingly important as a result of the pandemic.

We are also continuing to protect our critical green wedges, strategic agricultural land and Victoria’s distinctive areas and landscapes – such as the Bellarine Peninsula and Bass Coast.

Plan Melbourne will be updated with a greater focus on driving the state’s recovery after the pandemic and will examine opportunities for greater support to local centres, flexible working arrangements and changing lifestyle priorities in the future.

Funding will also deliver the Future Homes project, which will lead to new and better apartment buildings and give more Victorians the security of a home – while giving developers the certainty they need to plan for the future and promote the creation of new jobs for Victorians.

Future Homes will facilitate the construction of more homes by making available new and innovative designs developed by architects along with a new streamlined planning process. This will bring new homes to market more quickly for home buyers.

This funding builds on the $111 million investment in last year’s Budget to unlock Victoria’s planning system for the economic recovery, to create jobs by speeding up delivery of vital major projects and boosting construction of social and affordable housing.