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Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat told to build 200,000 homes within new growth boundaries

Regional cities such as Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat have been ordered to build 200,000 homes within hard growth boundaries under a new statewide housing plan released by the Premier.

Australian housing affordability reaches a record low

Regional cities will be forced to scale up and not out under a new 30-year housing blueprint for Victoria, as the Allan government prepares to rollout more than two million extra homes across the state.

Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo will soon be encircled with hard growth boundaries to halt urban sprawl, as the government encourages higher density living close to transport, schools, shops and services.

The three regional centres will need to collectively build more than 200,000 additional homes over the next 30 years inside these boundaries.

The incoming borders, which will operate similar to Melbourne’s urban growth boundary, aim to put a stop to housing going up outside of built-up areas, and encroaching on agricultural land.

They will not be enshrined by law.

The regional boundaries and new planning settings will be developed with councils.

Jacinta Allan has unveiled a new 30-year housing blueprint for the state. Picture: Valeriu Campan
Jacinta Allan has unveiled a new 30-year housing blueprint for the state. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The Bass Coast, Surf Coast, Bellarine Peninsula and Macedon Ranges either already have, or will soon also have, protected settlement boundaries.

Premier Jacinta Allan, who unveiled the new 30-year blueprint in Ballarat on Friday, said it was aimed at getting young people into their first homes.

“We need to do everything to give our kids a shot at living, working and raising a family locally,” she said.

“That starts with making sure there’s enough affordable housing choices everywhere in town.”

The blueprint includes 22 “concrete” actions, most of which have been previously announced.

They include ambitious housing targets for each council area, fast-tracked high-rise apartment hotspots in 60 locations across suburban and inner Melbourne, and incentives to build more social and affordable homes.

Geelong boundary map. Picture: Supplied
Geelong boundary map. Picture: Supplied
Bendigo boundary map. Picture: Supplied
Bendigo boundary map. Picture: Supplied
Ballarat boundary map. Picture: Supplied
Ballarat boundary map. Picture: Supplied

Developers and infrastructure managers will be forced to consider sustainability in design, especially in new communities and apartment buildings.

Residential towers will have to meet an average-star sustainability rating with the aim of making them more comfortable for tenants.

Design quality standards, last overhauled in 2016, will once again be changed.

Developers and councils will be made to incorporate more bikeways, walkways and plan to accommodate more bus routes to minimise reliance on cars, which will be monitored with trip targets.

Urban planners and infrastructure managers will also be made to incorporate more canopy trees to create urban canopy cover of 30 per cent to avoid hot spots in new communities.

The new blueprint replaces the state’s existing metropolitan strategy Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 and separate regional growth plans.

Beveridge Williams managing director Grant Hailes said he was concerned that Plan for Victoria takes “a metropolitan-style approach to regional development”, adding that there could be “unintended consequences for housing, liveability, and local economies”.

“Restricting outward expansion of the townships where people want to live, in favour of increased density does not align with the way regional communities function or what people value about them,” he said.

“The Australian way of life is being challenged.”

He said restricting growth in smaller towns while prioritising major centres also “risks worsening housing affordability, limiting economic opportunities, and failing to meet regional demand”.

Originally published as Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat told to build 200,000 homes within new growth boundaries

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/victoria/geelong-bendigo-and-ballarat-told-to-build-200000-homes-within-new-growth-boundaries/news-story/201c50c8b48aefd8e0091ec3fac4b9ef