Maps reveal scale of Labor’s suburban high rise housing plans that will transform middle Melbourne
New planning rules will encourage high-rise towers near new train and tram zones across middle Melbourne. See the detailed maps for which suburbs and streets are in line for a radical reshaping.
New planning zones to encourage housing towers along suburban high streets with rail access could be up to 1.5km wide, dramatically altering middle Melbourne’s character.
Detailed maps for 25 of the city’s new train and tram zones, announced last year by Premier Jacinta Allan and setting off a storm of protest in some suburbs, have set draft height limits of between six and 16 storeys — which is up to about 50 metres tall.
Premier Jacinta Allan said the new zones were “sensible and gentle”, but shadow treasurer James Newbury said they were a recipe for “trashing our suburbs”.
Bayside suburb Hampton, Greek hotspot Oakleigh, and affluent inner eastern suburbs Kew, Hawthorn and Auburn are among those with the 16-storey proposed limits.
Others in line for significant change include bayside’s North Brighton and Middle Brighton, as well as Carnegie, Hughesdale in the southeast and Glenferrie in the east, which all have proposed 12-storey limits.
Some proposed zones, which will eventually cover 60 precincts in middle Melbourne, cover vast tracts of established and often-affluent suburbs.
Hampton St in Hampton has proposed residential limits of between eight and 12 storeys all along its commercial precinct, which is a distance of about 1.5km.
Most of that area has properties that are two or three storeys tall, with the occasional medium density apartment block of five or six storeys.
Kew Junction will have sweeping new height limits of eight to 16 storeys along a 1.2km stretch of High St, while Hawthorn will have similar height limits along 1.2km of Burwood Rd.
The government has said it wants high-rise housing around transport hubs as part of its target of having 800,000 new homes built in Melbourne within a decade.
It wants a “core” of taller buildings around stations and medium density housing further from that core.
Eligible developments within new zones will be “deemed to comply” with planning rules and be exempt from review at Victoria’s Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Developers can apply for taller buildings, but would have to go through regular planning processes.
Premier Jacinta Allan said the plan would make “this city fairer for workers and families”.
“Too many people are locked out of suburbs where they want to live – and I’m on their side,” she said.
“Our train and tram zones are sensible and gentle and they’re all about keeping Melbourne affordable for the next generation.”
Ms Allan said the plans were a result of the government “listening to local communities” and that the proposals would create more affordable homes.
“We’ve got a big pipeline of a whole range of different developments,” she said.
“We’re getting these homes built more quickly, which is a key issue.
“I’m on the side of all Victorians who are wanting to have affordable homes, have that choice of where that home is, and that’s why we’re releasing these next round of 25 train and tram activity centres in just great locations.”
Draft plans will now go through a fresh round of community consultation, before limits are enshrined in new planning controls.
Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said the government had listened to community feedback through a first round of consultation and “we’re prepared to make changes that reflect the feedback we get”.
She said Labor was unlocking doors while the Liberals were “locking them”.
But Brighton MP James Newbury, who is the state’s shadow treasurer, said Victorians didn’t vote for the radical changes now proposed, which were out of step with community expectations.
“Jacinta Allan is trashing our suburbs because of her plan to grow Melbourne to the size of London by the middle of the century,” he said.
“With Melbourne currently home to five million people and London nine million, Allan needs to wreck our suburbs so that she can double the size of our city.”
Bayside Council vows to fight changes
On Wednesday morning, The Bayside City Council lashed the state government for failing to meaningfully consult with the community and the council over the radical plans.
In a statement, the council — home to four activity centres — vowed to fight any changes that “threaten to destroy” its suburbs.
“It’s incredibly disappointing that media outlets were informed of the Victorian government’s plans for Bayside Activity Centres before council,” a statement read.
“The minister promised to work collaboratively after the lack of meaningful consultation during the Activity Centre pilot program. This has clearly not occurred.”
“Council will continue to advocate regarding any government changes that threaten to destroy the suburbs we love.”
Property Council Victorian executive director Cath Evans said the apartments would only be built if the government stripped back the tax burden.
She, however, welcomed the plans to help facilitate the building of more homes in well connected suburbs. “Victorians urgently needs more homes across all parts of the state, including all parts of Melbourne,” she said.
“These plans offer an opportunity for workers and families to live close to existing transport and community facilities.”
She added: “Victoria’s property sector remains the most harshly taxed in Australia, which is directly impacting project viability and the industry’s ability to deliver on urgently needed housing”.
Government urged to take feedback seriously
Boroondara mayor Sophie Torney said the release of activity centre maps for Hawthorn, Glenferrie and Auburn and Kew Junction had given her “reason to doubt” that their community consultation will have any impact on these plans.
“The Government has already completed one round of community consultation on these significant proposals, but I see no evidence that the voices of our community have shaped these updated plans,” she said.
“Consultation only works if people can see that their feedback is taken seriously. To ignore community wishes erodes community confidence in government and the planning system.
“Today I’m asking the Government to work with us, not against us.”
‘Nothing more than theatrics’
Prominent property developer Max Shifman accused the government of continuing to “push the lie” that creating high-rise development in activity centres will “magically deliver” affordable family homes for millennials.
“This is nothing more than theatrics based on theoretical numbers, does not tackle the real issues impacting housing supply, and will not create homes that meet broader market needs at prices they can afford,” she said.
“The young people and key workers who are being sold the dream of buying affordable new homes in these areas will be bitterly disappointed.”
Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) Victorian chief executive Linda Allison said even with more planning certainty the current market conditions were “exceedingly difficult”.
“Not only do construction costs, labour shortages and cost of finance remain stubbornly high, the property tax imposts ultimately flow through to the cost of an apartment,” she said.
“Based on current rates, a family sized apartment is difficult to deliver for less than $1.5 million.
“This is out of reach for families on moderate incomes, and hard to compete against established detached homes.”
