Local knowledge sought for the 2026 Planning Scheme Review

Mansfield Shire Council is calling on residents to share their experiences with the Mansfield Planning Scheme as part of its review.

The review is an opportunity for Council to hear directly from the community about how the current scheme is working in practice. Council wants to know whether residents, businesses and builders have found the Scheme easy to understand and use.

Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said local knowledge and lived experience were essential to strengthening the scheme and encouraged the community to have their say.

"If you've ever used the Planning Scheme and had a thought on how it could better work for our community, we want to hear from you," he said. 

"This is a chance to identify what could be working better and fix it, so the scheme is more efficient for everyone going forwards."

The Planning Scheme sets the rules for how land can be used and developed across Mansfield Shire, covering zoning, overlays and planning policy. Council is keen to hear about any parts of the scheme that have been unclear or hard to interpret.

Residents are invited to share their feedback through a short community survey, along with opportunities for broader input throughout the review process.

"The more we understand how the community currently experiences the scheme, the better placed we are to improve it for our community," Mayor Cr Rabie said.

To have your say, visit www.mansfield.vic.gov.au/community-engagement/2026-planning-scheme-review 

Community engagement closes Sunday 6 September 2026. Contact strategic.planning@mansfield.vic.gov.au for more information.