Yarra Ranges Council is in the process of notifying affected land owners that the State Government has expanded the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO).

The BMO is a planning control applied to land with the potential to be affected by bushfire.

The new mapping has been developed in partnership with the CFA and CSIRO as part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to implement all recommendations of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.

Director of Social and Economic Development Ali Wastie said the BMO was introduced to the planning scheme to make new or extended homes safer and more resilient to bushfire.

“If the BMO applies, a planning permit will be required to subdivide the land, build a new house or significantly extend an existing house,” Ms Wastie said.

“Other types of buildings may also need a planning permit.”

The BMO does not require any changes to be made to existing homes but home owners should consider taking steps to make their property safer. Information is available in the State Government’s Information for prospective owners fact sheet.

If there is an approved building permit but no planning permit, or the land owner is proposing to extend or amend an existing planning permit, please view common scenarios outlined in the State Government’s Transitional provisions fact sheet.

New development in the BMO may be required to mitigate bushfire hazards by providing water for fire fighting purposes (water tank), access for fire fighting vehicles and vegetation management.

The BMO identifies areas subject to high fire risk and requires planning permission for building and works associated with:

Dwellings (house, apartment, mobile home, houseboat or substantial structure)
Dependent person’s unit (granny flat or moveable building)
Education centre (kindergarten, preschool, school or training centre)
Leisure or recreation
Retail and other uses
The changes have resulted in more than 18,000 Yarra Ranges properties being added to the BMO.

Landowners can check if land is covered by the BMO using the State Government’s Planning Maps Online tool.

Suburbs affected by the changes to the BMO mapping in Yarra Ranges:

Badger Creek, Belgrave, Belgrave South, Coldstream, Dixon Creek, Don Valley, Gladysdale, Gruyere, Healesville, Hoddles Creek, Kallista, Kilsyth, Launching Place, Lilydale, Lysterfield, Macclesfield, Menzies Creek, Millgrove, Monbulk, Montrose, Mooroolbark, Mount Evelyn, Narre Warren East, Olinda, Selby, Seville, Seville East, Silvan, Steels Creek, Tarrawarra, Tecoma, The Patch, Upper Ferntree Gully, Upwey, Wandin East, Wandin North, Wesburn, Woori Yallock, Yarra Glen, Yarra Junction, Yellingbo and Yering.

In conjunction to the expanded overlay, two schedules have been introduced in some areas to help streamline applications for single dwellings or extensions.

For further information on the BMO visit: planning.vic.gov.au/bmo