Boroondara Council lashes Allan government’s ‘unrealistic’ housing plan

Boroondara council has lashed the Allan government over its plan to build more than 65,000 new homes in the area, labelling the housing targets “disappointing and flawed”.

Boroondara Council, home to suburbs including Camberwell and Hawthorn, has hit back at the Allan government over its plans to build more than 65,000 new homes in the area.

An inner city council has lashed the Allan government over its plan to force the local government body to find space for more than 65,000 new homes, labelling the new housing targets “disappointing and flawed”.

The Boroondara City Council area, which covers Hawthorn and its surrounds, has been earmarked for 67,000 new homes over the next three decades under the state government’s new draft housing targets released on Sunday.

But Deputy Mayor City of Boroondara Cr Felicity Sinfield said building a further 2,400 new dwellings annually over the next 27 years represented a three-fold increase in the average number of new dwellings.

“These targets are simply unrealistic, regardless of the municipality you’re in,” she said.

Cr Sinfield has described the targets as “unrealistic”.

Cr Sinfield the government had failed to commit to building the infrastructure required to support the thousands of new homes.

“Our community has a right to such fundamentals as public open space, adequate drainage and sewage systems, education facilities, health services and transport networks,” she said.

Under the current housing statement, the government is aiming to boost new builds in established suburbs by 70 per cent, and by 30 per cent in outer growth areas.

Many council areas across inner and suburban Melbourne will need to double their number of new dwellings every year under the plan.

Cr Sinfield said while the need for additional housing is understood, the housing targets were “misleading”.

“Housing targets do not produce housing. Developers do that,” she said.

“Councils cannot force developers to make planning applications for new development and Councils cannot force developers to build the housing for which they have approval.”

Premier Jacinta Allan spruiked the plan to build 67,000 homes in Boroondara in Question Time on Tuesday, saying the new draft housing targets would make it easier for Victorians to live closer to family, transport and services.

Final targets are expected to be ­released by the end of this year.