The City of Melbourne will temporarily adjust the management of construction activity in the municipality in a bid to fast-track construction projects, save jobs and help limit the economic impact of COVID-19.

Master Builders Victoria praised the City of Melbourne for its agreement to accommodate more flexible operating hours on a temporary basis for commercial, large residential and mixed-use development construction work during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing this as an example of the kind of cooperative effort required to keep building sites safe and open, thousands of people in work and thousands of families more secure during this extraordinary health emergency.

“The building and construction industry is having to adapt to a rapidly changing environment and, given this unprecedented situation, we are very pleased that the City of Melbourne has stepped up to be more flexible,” Rebecca Casson, CEO of Master Builders Victoria said.
 
“It’s great to see that the City of Melbourne has waived fees, streamlined the application process and has committed to having an answer back to builders within 24 hours,” she said.

The available details of the extension of working hours are as follows:
 
The city’s local law currently allows for construction activity to occur between the hours of 7am and 7pm on weekdays and between 8am and 3pm on Saturdays. Approval is required from Council to work outside these standard hours.

Click here to apply for an out-of-hours permit.
 
Working on a case-by-case basis, the City of Melbourne proposes to allow an extra hour of work each morning and evening on weekdays. Three hours of extra work will be allowed on Saturdays and six hours on of limited activity on Sunday.
 
In addition, finishing trades that do not have a significant impact on residential amenity (such as painting and plastering) will be extended until 10pm.

Read the Master Builders Victoria media release.