Victorian government finalizes planning reforms allowing 20-storey towers in Melbourne’s activity zones
Consensus Summary
The Victorian government has finalized planning reforms to increase housing density in 25 of 60 activity centres across Melbourne, allowing buildings up to 20 storeys in parts of Brunswick and Coburg near transport hubs. The changes, shaped by over 12500 public submissions, include height increases in some zones and reductions in others like Oakleigh and Kew Junction, where draft plans proposed taller limits. Buildings meeting planning rules in core zones are ‘deemed to comply,’ streamlining approvals. The program aims to create 300000 homes by 2051, though feasibility studies suggest only about 110000 may be viable. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has pledged to scrap the plan if elected, favoring council-led density in middle suburbs. Both sources highlight community backlash and differing visions for Melbourne’s housing future, with ABC focusing on gradual implementation and THEAGE emphasizing local opposition and feasibility concerns.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The Victorian government finalized planning controls for 25 of 60 activity centres or transport zones, including Brunswick, Coburg, Brighton, Hawthorn, West Footscray, Heidelberg, Thornbury, Oakleigh, and Kew Junction, to increase housing density near transport hubs.
- Height limits in parts of Brunswick and Coburg’s activity centres increased to a maximum of 20 storeys, up from the previously proposed 16 storeys in draft maps.
- The finalized maps for Oakleigh and Kew Junction show reduced height limits compared to draft plans, with Oakleigh’s Eaton Mall area capped at 6 storeys (down from 12) and Kew Junction’s High Street areas limited to 8 or 10 storeys (down from 12).
- Buildings in core activity centre zones that meet planning rules, including setbacks and overshadowing provisions, are ‘deemed to comply,’ meaning they cannot be sent to VCAT for review.
- The state government received feedback from over 12,500 Victorians during consultation, which directly informed the finalized plans for height limits and greener streetscapes.
- The activity centres program aims to unlock capacity for more than 300,000 homes by 2051, though a Grattan Institute report estimates only about 110,000 are financially feasible under current conditions.
- Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has vowed to scrap the government’s activity centre plan if elected, instead proposing scaled-down developments in middle suburbs and returning powers to local councils.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The finalized maps for Brunswick and Coburg show planning provisions for buildings of up to 20 stories near Coburg station and Barkly Square (Brunswick shopping complex).
- Middle Brighton’s height limits are set at up to 12 storeys on selected sites, with the area mostly zoned at 6 to 8 storeys.
- Premier Jacinta Allan stated the reforms would speed up approvals and allow development in Melbourne’s best-connected suburbs where housing growth had slowed, benefiting millennials.
- The government’s plan contrasts with the Liberal opposition’s proposal to supercharge high-density development within Melbourne’s CBD and inner suburbs instead of activity centres.
- Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny emphasized the changes would create gradual housing opportunities over 25 years, with no immediate overnight impact.
- The finalized maps for 25 of the 60 targeted precincts will take effect within months, following community consultation.
- Core areas of activity centres closest to shops and stations have height limits up to 20 storeys, while districts a few streets back are generally limited to 3 to 4 storeys.
- Proposed Suburban Rail Loop hubs like Box Hill could allow buildings up to 50 storeys.
- Opposition Leader Jess Wilson’s plan would deliver housing through greater density on council land and with local community support, rather than state-mandated activity centres.
- The government’s activity centres have faced backlash, including rallies in Brighton led by local Liberal MP James Newbury.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC states the government’s draft maps for Brunswick and Coburg initially proposed a maximum height limit of 16 storeys, while THEAGE does not mention this specific draft height limit for these areas.
- ABC reports the maximum height limit in Middle Brighton is up to 12 storeys on selected sites, but THEAGE does not specify Middle Brighton’s height limits in its summary of finalized maps.
- ABC highlights the government’s plan to create capacity for 300,000 homes by 2051 as a key goal, while THEAGE explicitly notes a Grattan Institute report suggesting only 110,000 are financially feasible, implying a discrepancy in feasibility claims.
- ABC emphasizes the government’s focus on unlocking housing in Melbourne’s best-connected suburbs where growth had slowed, while THEAGE frames the issue as suburbs being ‘locked up’ pushing young people and families out, using slightly different phrasing.
- ABC quotes Premier Jacinta Allan stating the reforms would help millennials get into homes faster, while THEAGE does not include this specific quote or emphasis on millennials.
Source Articles
Density push to allow for 20-storey towers in Melbourne's north
The Victorian government has released its final planning controls for 25 activity centres in Melbourne, with tweaks meaning lower height limits in parts of Kew and Oakleigh and higher heights in parts...
Melbourne’s inner-north set for 20 storey towers in high-rise push
Final maps for 25 of the state’s “activity centres” are set to lock in new building heights and development boundaries across the city....