Rooming house rules, Victoria

1. 01Total floor area of all buildings on the land does not exceed 300 m², excluding outbuildings
2. 02No more than 12 persons accommodated
3. 03No more than 9 bedrooms provided
4. 04The zone-table condition for the zone is met

1. 01Every bedroom is accessed only from within the building
2. 02Shared entry facilities and common areas including a kitchen and living area are provided
3. 03The zone minimum garden area is kept in the General or Neighbourhood Residential Zone

Read top down; the first band that matches wins. `overSqm` is a strict lower bound, `atLeastSqm` is inclusive — the ordinance says 25 per cent of a lot of 400 m² to 500 m², 30 per cent of more than 500 m² to 650 m², 35 per cent of more than 650 m². No match (a lot under 400 m²) means no minimum garden area requirement.

Clauses 32.08-4 and 32.09-4 (VC253, 14 December 2023). Clause 73.01 defines garden area; as amended by Amendment VC314 (clause dated 28 October 2026) it is any area on a lot that does not include the dwelling, small second dwelling or residential building (eaves to 600 mm, pergolas, unroofed decks under 800 mm, basements, outbuildings up to 10 m² and domestic services are forgiven), a covered driveway, or a covered area set aside for car parking. Uncovered driveways and uncovered car spaces count toward the percentage, and the former minimum dimension of 1 metre is gone; before VC314 every driveway and parking area was excluded. The requirement applies to lots of 400 m² and above; Building Regulations 2018 reg 76A repeats the same percentages at building-permit stage with its own definition (read 19 September 2026, not re-read since VC314).

Instrument

Victoria Planning Provisions Clause 73.01 General terms

Amendment · clause date

VC314 · 2026-10-28

Excluded from garden area

the dwelling, small second dwelling or residential building (with the allowances listed in the clause); a covered driveway; a covered area set aside for car parking

Counts as garden area

uncovered driveways; uncovered areas set aside for car parking; paths, paved yards and planted areas of any dimension

Minimum dimension

None — the 1 m minimum was removed by VC314

Previous definition

Until 2026-10-27: excluded a driveway, an area set aside for car parking; minimum dimension 1 m

Re-read from the current clause

2026-11-03

Building Regulations 2018 reg 76(2) — buildings must not occupy more than 60 per cent of the allotment unless a zone schedule states otherwise; reg 77(2) requires at least 20 per cent permeable surface; Table 79 requires a 1 metre side and rear setback for walls up to 3.6 metres high. Reg 68 applies Part 5 siting wherever no planning permit regulates the matter — which is the whole point of relying on Clause 52.23.

Accessway width

3 m minimum

Forward exit required

where an accessway serves 4 or more spaces or connects to a TZ2 / TZ3 road

Distance from the carriageway

6 m where such an accessway is from Transport Zone 2 or 3 land

90° bay

2.6 × 4.9 m with a 6.4 m accessway (2.8 × 4.9 m with 5.8 m; 3.0 × 4.9 m with 5.2 m; 3.2 × 4.9 m with 4.8 m)

Parallel bay

2.3 × 6.7 m with a 3.6 m accessway

Clause 52.29 (VC205, 20 January 2022) — a permit is required to create or alter access to a road in a Transport Zone 2, or to land in a Public Acquisition Overlay acquired for a road by a transport manager other than a council; the application must be referred under section 55 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to the referral authority named in Clause 66.03 and is exempt from notice and third-party review (52.29-5, VC148). On any road the physical crossing between kerb and boundary is council infrastructure and needs a council vehicle-crossing permit to build, remove, repair or alter.

Clause 52.06-5 Table 1 (VC311, 9 June 2026) — rooming house, to each bedroom: Category 1 and 2 land minimum 0.25 with no maximum, Category 3 minimum 0 / maximum 0.15, Category 4 maximum 0.1; fractions rounded down; where land is shown in two categories the higher applies — 9 bedrooms on Category 1 or 2 land gives 2 spaces. The requirement includes disabled spaces allocated under AS2890.6-2009 and the Building Code of Australia, and NCC Volume One D4D6(2) takes 2 × (1 accessible bedroom ÷ 9) = 0.22 up to the next whole figure, so one of the two must be an accessible space. Clause 52.06-3 (VC277, 18 December 2025) requires a permit to reduce below the minimum (a reduction of 10 or fewer spaces is VicSmart, assessed under Clause 59.10 with a Car Parking Demand Assessment under 52.06-7) and 52.06-4 (VC311) exempts that application from notice and third-party review. Clause 52.06-9 Design standard 1 (VC277): every accessway at least 3 m wide; forward exit where an accessway serves four or more spaces or connects to a Transport Zone 2 or 3 road; access at least 6 m from the carriageway where such an accessway is from Transport Zone 2 or 3 land; Table 2 minimum 90-degree bay 2.6 × 4.9 m with a 6.4 m accessway. Building Regulations 2018 reg 78 reaches the same count of two.