The Department of Health and Human Services wants to amend planning schemes to ensure new developments do not impede the movement of emergency helicopters that need to access the hospital..

The proposed design and development overlay will mean planned buildings, works and plumes with the potential to impact the path of air ambulances flying to and from Bendigo hospital will have to be assessed by the DHHS.

"Having controls in place ensures emergency helicopters can fly directly to hospitals, so patients and the staff caring for them can have a quicker flight,” planning minister Richard Wynne said.

The proposed amendments will trigger a DHHS assessment for buildings, works or plumes of 235.9 metres or higher within a 460-metre radius of the new Bendigo hospital helipad.

Proposed developments or plumes of 245.9 metres or higher along the hospital’s preferred flight path, up to a distance of 1.13 kilometres from the helipad, will also be assessed.

Additions and alterations to existing buildings will not need to be assessed, provided they do not exceed the height of the existing structure. 

If approved, protections will also apply to the flight paths of 11 other hospitals in Victoria, including Charlton, Cohuna, Donald, Heathcote, Kerang, St Arnaud, Stawell and Wycheproof hospitals, while the overlay applying to Kyneton hospital will be reviewed.

All affected hospitals have existing helipads and flight paths, but at Bendigo the existing ground level helipad will be replaced by a rooftop helipad as part of the new hospital development.

In February overlays were applied to protect flight paths into six hospitals, bringing the number of Victorian hospital flight paths with planning protection to 16.

Community drop-in sessions on the proposed changes will be held from April 18 and submissions can be made until May 13.

For further information, visit the health department planning website or council offices.

A technical report detailing the proposed protection area of the Bendigo hospital flight path is below.