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The Victorian Government’s Housing Statement delivers more homes for Victorians by supporting families looking for a home to buy, young people looking for a home to rent, and vulnerable people looking for the home that can change their life.

In Wyndham, a significant increase in demand for new Rooming House developments and conversions of existing dwellings demonstrates the ongoing cost of living challenges of the community and the need for quality, inexpensive shared living arrangements.

A rooming house is a building where one or more rooms are available for rent and the number of people residing in the rooming house is four or more.

Residents of a rooming house enter into a lease or rental agreement for the exclusive possession of a ‘room’ with a right to shared access to communal facilities such as a kitchen, bathrooms, laundries and living areas.

A rooming house requires a planning permit for use and development of the land unless you meet specific requirements detailed within Clause 52.23 of the Wyndham Planning Scheme. These requirements are summarised and explained under the ‘Exemptions’ section.

Important Note: The planning permit requirement (above) applies to all new rooming houses to be constructed and the conversion of an existing building to a rooming house if any alterations to the building or works on the land are proposed.

A common misconception is that a rooming house can be designed with self-contained rooms; meaning a room containing a kitchen sink, food preparation facilities, bath or shower, toilet and wash basin.  This is not the case.  To be considered a Rooming House, the proposal must first meet the definition within the Wyndham Planning Scheme explained in detail under ‘Is my proposal a Rooming House’.

To assist you in the design phase of a Rooming House, planning advice can be sought from a variety of consultants and planning professionals and Council encourages members of the public to seek guidance and assistance from suitably qualified professionals as required.

While this guidance can provide valuable insight to you or anyone who engages such services, this does not negate the requirement to seek Planning advice from Councils Town Planning Department. As the responsible authority tasked with implementing and enforcing the Wyndham Planning Scheme in accordance with the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (P&E Act), Council may consider the advice of other professionals however is ultimately responsible for deciding on all planning related matters in a local context.

Need Town Planning advice?

When seeking advice, you can apply for either of the following two (2) options:

  1. Pre-Application Planning Advice

    In essence, a pre-application meeting is a valuable investment of time to help you understand whether the design of the Rooming House meets the definition under the Wyndham Planning Scheme and complies with the exemptions.

    If the proposal does not meet the definition of a rooming house or the exemptions, you have the opportunity to amend the plans and resubmit a new design for a second pre-application assessment.

    If you want to retain the original design, we will guide you on the planning permit process and documents required to be submitted with the application.

  2. Certificate of Compliance under Section 97N of the P&E Act

    A certificate of compliance is a document issued by a responsible authority in accordance with Part 4A of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (P&E Act).   The responsible authority will decide on an application for a certificate and either issue or refuse the certificate.

    A certificate of compliance verifies that:

  • an existing use or development complies with the requirements of the planning scheme, at the date of the certificate; or

  • a proposed use or development would comply with the requirements of the planning scheme, at the date of the certificate.

The certificate is issued or refused on the basis of whether the proposed or existing use and development complies with the Planning Scheme.  It is not based on whether Council supports the proposal.  The certificate will be refused if the use or development requires a planning permit or is prohibited.

You can ask the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to review a decision by the responsible authority to refuse a certificate, or its failure to issue a certificate within the prescribed time of 30 days.

Follow the link for more information on Certificates of Compliance.

The following information must be submitted with your Pre-Application Advice or Certificate of 

Compliance request:

  1. Completed Pre-Application Planning Advice Request or Certificate of Compliance request

  2. Title and all associated restrictions

  3. Fully dimensioned Site Plan including:

    1. Total floor area of all buildings

    2. Garden area and percentage

    3. Car parking spaces

    4. All fences and gates

  4. Fully dimensioned Floor Plan & Elevations including:

    1. Window & door schedule

    2. Amenities in each room

  5. Fully dimensioned Sectional & Elevation Plan of all cabinetries

  6. Statement detailing the proposed use and development including the minimum and maximum number of occupants predicted.

  7. Payment of Town Planning fee

In addition to a planning permit, a Rooming House requires:

  • a building permit for a Class 1b building and 

  • must be registered as a Prescribed Accommodation business with Wyndham City’s Environmental Health Unit.

For information on Building and Environmental Health Rooming House requirements, follow the links below: 

Exemptions

Exemptions which apply to a proposal that meets the definition of a Rooming House.

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