Waste management plan requirements by Victorian council
When Victorian councils require a waste management plan, what the planning scheme sets as the baseline, and how operational and construction WMPs differ. Every requirement is linked to its source.
Why it matters
In Victoria, waste is set at planning stage. The planning scheme sets minimum bin storage sizes, and many councils ask for a waste management plan (WMP) with the permit application or make one a permit condition. Once the City of Melbourne endorses a WMP, it becomes part of the planning permit. If the requirements surface late, the bin room, the collection point or the truck access may need to change after the drawings are set.
- Developers and builders: an unresolved WMP can hold up a permit condition being satisfied, and a site that council trucks cannot service may need private collection for the life of the building.
- Architects and engineers: bin store area, depth and height, ventilation, taps and drains, and vehicle access are set out in the planning scheme and council guidelines, so they belong in the drawings before lodgement.
This guide reflects the Victoria Planning Provisions and the council guidance we checked on 5 November 2026. Planning schemes and council guidelines change. Your permit conditions and your council's current guidelines always take precedence.
The state baseline: Clauses 55, 57 and 58
Three particular provisions of the Victoria Planning Provisions set the waste standards for residential development. Which one applies depends on the zone and the building height.
- Clause 55 covers two or more dwellings on a lot and residential buildings of three storeys or less. Its waste standard is Clause 55.05-5, Standard B5-5.
- Clause 57 covers two or more dwellings and residential buildings of four to six storeys in the Mixed Use, Residential Growth and Housing Choice and Transport zones, and the Township Zone within the metropolitan urban growth boundary. Its waste standard is Clause 57.05-2, Standard E5-2.
- Clause 58 covers apartment developments, including those of seven or more storeys in residential zones and any apartment development in zones such as the Commercial 1, Activity Centre and Capital City zones. Its waste standard is Clause 58.06-3, Standard D24.
Clauses 55 and 57: meet the standard or justify the design
Under Clauses 55 and 57, a development that meets a standard is deemed to meet the objective, and the responsible authority does not have to consider the decision guidelines. If the waste standard is not met, council must consider the decision guidelines. For waste, the first of these is "the design response, including a Waste Management Plan". The guidelines also refer to the better practice options in Sustainability Victoria's 2019 guide. In practice, a WMP is how you justify a waste design that departs from the standard. Councils may also ask for one under their own guidelines.
The minimum bin storage sizes in Standard B5-5 are:
| Bin storage (dwellings that are not apartments) | Minimum area | Depth | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual bin store for a dwelling | 1.8 m² | 0.8 m | 1.8 m |
| Shared bin store, 3 dwellings or fewer | 5.4 m² | 0.8 m | 1.8 m |
| Shared bin store, 4 or more dwellings | 1 m² per dwelling plus 4 m² | 0.8 m | 1.8 m |
| Apartment bin storage (shared) | Minimum area | Depth | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 dwellings or fewer | 0.7 m² per dwelling | 0.8 m | 2.7 m |
| 16 to 55 dwellings | 0.5 m² per dwelling plus 5 m² | 1 m | 2.7 m |
| 56 or more dwellings | 0.5 m² per dwelling | 1 m | 2.7 m |
The standard also requires:
- a shared bin store within 40 m of a kerbside collection point, with a tap for bin washing
- a continuous path of travel from each dwelling to the bin store
- forward entry and exit for vehicles where private collection happens on the land
- enclosed apartment bin stores ventilated by openings of at least 5% of the bin storage area, or by mechanical exhaust, with a tap and drain
- internal waste and recycling storage in each dwelling of at least 0.07 m³, with a minimum depth of 250 mm.
Standard E5-2 in Clause 57.05-2 uses the same apartment bin storage table and also lists a WMP in its decision guidelines.
Clause 58: an approved WMP
Standard D24 in Clause 58.06-3 says waste and recycling facilities should be designed and managed in line with a WMP approved by the responsible authority. It also refers to the Sustainability Victoria better practice options and says collection vehicles should be able to enter and exit without reversing. For apartment developments under Clause 58, expect a WMP to be required.
The Sustainability Victoria guide
Many council guidelines point to Sustainability Victoria's Waste management and recycling in multi-unit developments (February 2019). Its appendices include a WMP checklist (Appendix 13) and a WMP template (Appendix 14). Sustainability Victoria has since closed, and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) now manages its programs. The 2019 guide is still the one the planning scheme names.
Council-by-council requirements
Councils add their own triggers, templates and design rules on top of the state baseline. The table summarises what a selection of councils publish. Each entry links to the council's own page or guideline.
| Council | When a WMP is needed | Notes for the design team | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Melbourne | May be required with a planning permit application. Once endorsed, it becomes part of the permit. Small developments can use council templates, and large developments need a detailed plan, which may need to be prepared by a waste consultant. | The 2021 guidelines require a WMP for each stage of a staged development. A mixed-use WMP must cover both the residential and the commercial parts. Allow a 1.5 m wide path or door for 660 L and 1,100 L bins. Use council's current waste generation rates. | City of Melbourne: Waste management plans |
| Whitehorse | Three or more dwellings, a basement, or any commercial development. More than five dwellings, or any commercial development, needs a comprehensive WMP with the application. | Council's web page says the template covers developments of up to five dwellings, but the template document itself (v1.0, 2018) describes 3–12 low-rise dwellings. Confirm with council which one applies. | Whitehorse: Waste management plan |
| Darebin | Fewer than 10 units can use council's template. Ten or more units, mixed-use and non-residential developments need a professionally prepared WMP. | Both tiers must give details of how demolition waste will be reused and recycled. The guidelines include bin spacing, chute and hard waste storage requirements for larger buildings. | Darebin Waste Management Guidelines (2021) |
| Moonee Valley | Most developments of four or more dwellings need an approved WMP, often as a permit condition. | Council publishes its own guidelines for planning applicants. | Moonee Valley: Waste for businesses and new developments |
| Ballarat | Three or more dwellings, all commercial developments, residential on the same title as a commercial or industrial use, and sites where council's standard kerbside service can't be provided or where collection would be from a basement council trucks can't reach. | Two dwellings or fewer with kerbside service are exempt, but a scaled site plan showing bin storage and collection points is still needed. Up to 15 dwellings can use the template. Mixed-use and 3+ dwelling projects should be discussed with council before lodgement. | Ballarat WMP Guidelines for Multi-Unit Developments |
| Glen Eira | Residential development applications may need specialist reports, including a waste management report. | Check the application checklist for your development type. | Glen Eira: Residential development |
Councils not listed may still require a WMP. Search your council's website for "waste management plan", read your planning scheme's local policies and schedules, and check any request for further information or permit condition.
Operational WMP vs construction and demolition WMP
The term "waste management plan" covers two different documents, and permits sometimes ask for both.
For the split between a planning (operational) WMP, a construction and demolition WMP, EPA Victoria industrial-waste duties, and when you need both, see Operational vs construction and demolition waste management plans.
Operational WMP (planning)
This is the plan the planning scheme and the councils above mean. It covers the building in use: expected waste volumes, the bin types and numbers, the bin store size and location, how bins get to the collection point, collection frequency, vehicle access and who is responsible for managing it. It is assessed with the permit application, or endorsed under a permit condition, and is usually prepared from the architectural drawings.
Construction and demolition WMP (site works)
This plan covers waste produced while the building is demolished and built: what will be separated, reused, recycled or sent to landfill, and how it will be handled. Some councils fold this into the planning WMP. For example, Darebin's guidelines require details of how demolition waste will be reused and recycled.
Whether or not council asks for a C&D plan, Victorian law applies. EPA Victoria treats waste from building and road construction, renovation, demolition and repairs as industrial waste. Anyone who produces or handles it has duties under the Environment Protection Act 2017, including classifying the waste correctly and making sure it is transported to, and deposited at, a place that can lawfully accept it. Some construction wastes, such as treated timber and e-waste, are priority wastes, and contaminated soil can be classed as reportable priority waste.
Checklist: what a council-ready operational WMP covers
Contents vary by council, but most guidelines, including the City of Melbourne's guidance and the Sustainability Victoria checklist, expect a WMP to cover:
- the development: address, number of dwellings, commercial floor areas and uses, and staging
- waste generation estimates for each stream, using the council's published rates
- bin types, sizes and numbers for garbage, recycling, glass and food and garden organics, plus collection frequency
- bin storage areas: size, location, ventilation, washing, drainage and access, shown on the drawings
- how bins move from the store to the collection point, and who moves them
- the collection point and the collection vehicle's access, turning and clearances
- council or private collection, and the reasons for the choice
- hard waste, e-waste and other items such as charity bins where the council requires them
- separation of residential and commercial waste in mixed-use buildings
- ongoing management: the owners corporation or building manager's responsibilities, resident information and signage.
Frequently asked questions
Does a two-dwelling development need a WMP?
Usually not as a standalone plan, but the bin storage still has to meet Standard B5-5, and some councils want it shown on a site plan. Ballarat, for example, exempts two or fewer dwellings with kerbside service but still asks for a scaled site plan of bin storage and collection points.
Can we use the council's template?
Often for small projects. The City of Melbourne, Whitehorse, Darebin and Ballarat all publish templates for smaller developments. Larger, mixed-use and commercial projects generally need a detailed plan.
Is a WMP the same as a construction waste management plan?
No. A planning WMP covers the building in use. A construction and demolition WMP covers site works. Some councils ask for elements of both.
What happens after the WMP is approved?
If a permit condition requires a WMP, the endorsed plan becomes part of the permit. Changes to the design that affect waste, such as moving the bin store or changing the number of dwellings, may mean amending the WMP.
Get a council-ready WMP
We prepare operational waste management plans for permit applications and permit conditions across Victoria, following each council's guidelines. See our waste management plan service.
Questions or corrections: contact Makao.
