Developers get diplomatic over apartment rules Save Share Victoriaâs developers have made only muted criticisms of new apartment design guidelines that could curb profit, at a time when the apartment industry faces pressure to refine its product to suit growing demands for space and working from home. The guidelines that risk raising costs for developers and buyers by mandating greater landscaping and the use of durable materials in residential developments drew less opposition on Sunday from the industry than the first set of rules did in 2016. âWeâre using our homes and our apartments as rest and exercise space and as a workplace,â Property Council of Australia Victoria executive director Danni Hunter said. âDesign has to be really flexible and adapt to what purchasers are telling us they want.â