Land use planning is considered to be the most effective means of reducing future risks and damages from flooding. The principal statutory authorities responsible for land use planning on flood prone lands in Victoria are catchment management authorities, Melbourne Water and municipal councils. Planning schemes can be accessed at Planning Schemes Online.

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Municipal Planning Schemes

The Planning and Environment Act enables municipal councils to introduce planning schemes to control land use. The Victoria Planning Provisions (VPPs) provide a state-wide uniform format for municipal planning schemes. The VPPs contain a State Planning Policy Framework for floodplain management and a local Planning Policy Framework, which includes four area controls for land liable to flooding.

Flood Zone & Overlays

Urban Floodway Zone (UFZ)

The UFZ applies to mainstream flooding in urban areas where the primary function of the land is to convey active flood flows. In urban areas the consequences of flooding in floodway areas are considerable because of the risk to existing development and the pressure for new development. The UFZ restricts the use of land, given the high flood risk potential. Permitted uses are generally agriculture, mining and recreational activities. All other activities are prohibited.

Floodway Overlay (FO)

The FO applies to mainstream flooding in both rural and urban areas. These areas convey active flood flows or store significant volumes of floodwaters in a similar way to UFZ. Typical land uses underlying the FO reflect a lesser flood risk (for example, agriculture uses in rural areas, significantly developed high risk urban areas and public uses in urban areas).

The FO is suitable for floodway areas, where there is less need for control over land use and the focus is aimed at controlling development.

Land Subject to Inundation Overlay (LSIO)

The LSIO applies to mainstream flooding in both rural and urban areas. It can be used for two different situations:

• In areas where the extent of floodway has not yet been identified, the LSIO covers the total extent of land affected by flooding. This is an interim measure until the floodway component is identified.
• In areas where the extent of floodway has been identified, the LSIO covers the balance of land affected by flooding, where the flood risk is smaller than the floodway component. 

LSIO can also include "flood fringe" land in urban areas. Flood fringe areas include land substantially developed, with a less severe flood risk.

Special Building Overlay

The SBO applies to stormwater flooding in urban areas only. Prior to 1975, drainage systems were designed to a lower standard than that used for new development today. Often drainage pipes were designed for a 1 in 5 year flood, with no provisions made for overland flows. Therefore developments in the SBO are often flooded when the capacity of the underground drainage systems is exceeded.

An example of a planning scheme showing the Urban Floodway Zone, Floodway Overlay and Land Subject to Inundation Overlay can be viewed at Planning Schemes Online. Click on the relevant map to show the zones or overlays.

Flood zones and overlays can also be viewed at Planning Maps Online. Search facilities can locate individual properties and Planning Property Reports can be produced.

Planning Guides

The following planning guides have been developed to assist developments in flood prone areas:

• Applying For A Planning Permit Under The Flood Provisions - A guide for councils, referral authorities and applicants
• Applying The Flood Provisions In Planning Schemes - A guide for councils

These guides can be accessed on the DPCD website.

Building Regulations

The Victoria Building Regulations 1994 relate to the establishment, maintenance and improvement of buildings and are derived from the Building Act 1993. Municipal Councils have a significant role in enforcing the Regulations.

Part 6 of the Regulations (Building Work in Special Areas) contains conditions, which can be imposed by the councils, when issuing building permits for land identified as being liable to flooding. These include such things as specifying the relevant flood level and setting minimum floor heights.

Flood Maps

Flood maps outside the metropolitan area have been prepared across most of Victoria. They were developed as part of a comprehensive mapping project undertaken in the late 1990s which has been incorporated into the Victoria Flood Database. The maps show the 1 in 100 year flood extent where known and also floodway areas. The interactive Catchment Information Mapper can be accessed on the DSE website.