The Block 2025: Show first will see five eco homes built from scratch in Daylesford

It’s official! The Block 2025 won’t be the same after leaked plans revealed what to expect, following a controversial finale this year.

The Block is heading to Daylesford in 2025 and doing something they’ve never done before.

The Block is gearing up to ditch renovations and do something it’s never done before: build brand new homes from scratch.

Planning documents submitted to the Hepburn Shire Council reveal the show’s plans for the next season in Daylesford, located in central Victoria, include what appears to be five new residences that will provide empty shells for contestants to complete.

It’s a major shift for the show which has previously renovated existing buildings, or in the Gisborne series — trucked in buildings to the site.

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In the 2025 season, contestants are expected to grapple with five-bedroom floorplans that incorporate a study, living area, garage, covered outdoor area and a heated swimming pool.

Renders submitted to the council show the new contestants will be grappling with double storey builds, that are currently being presented as near identical.

They also show significant glazing and pergolas along their northern side, but suggest the homes will have far less natural light entering from the south.

The Block 2025 plans is set to be eco-friendly luxury.

Will The Block’s bold move to Daylesford pay off?

Planning documents submitted by Group Architects also reveal the builds will be eco-friendly, with the 1 Raglan St site’s homes designed to be carbon neutral, featuring solar panels to join the typically lavish fit-outs contestants will bring to them.

The green designs coincide with new minimum standards in Victoria requiring all new builds, and even significant extensions, to meet a seven-star energy efficiency threshold under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, or NatHERS.

The site was originally supposed to be used for the 2024 season.

The site was initially proposed for the 2024 season, but planning approvals and backlash from the township delayed it.

Group Architects received the green light for the project in December 2023 after overcoming a VCAT appeal and planning approvals.

Belle Property Daylesford’s principal director, Will Walton, who sold the Raglan St site to Channel 9 for an undisclosed price, said the town’s unique location relied less on typical natural attractions but rather on its high-level restaurants and boutiques — which could suggest kitchens will be a particular focal point in 2025.

Five of The Block 2025 homes will include five-bedroom floorplans that incorporate a study, living area, garage, covered outdoor area and a heated swimming pool.

“Daylesford has a robust national tourism brand — unlike other places, we don’t rely on sun, sand, or snow for attracting visitors,” Mr Walton said.

“We are recognised as a culinary destination, renowned for our high-level, award-winning restaurants.

“This focus on food and wine is a key driver for our tourism sector and also stimulates our holiday investment property market.”

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Mr Walton said the architectural variety in Daylesford was diverse and that he hoped the new homes built by The Block reflected the town.

“Daylesford features an extremely diverse architectural landscape, ranging from large, mid-century modern homes to charming, historic miner’s cottages,” he said.

The Block 2025 plans indicate a shift from renovations to new builds.

“This variety ensures that there’s something for everyone in our region, accommodating a range of budgets with property prices starting from around $650,000 upward.”

The Belle Daylesford director said the Airbnb tax presents challenges for the region, with big ticket buyers like Adrian Portelli opting out of the show’s 2025 season.

“The introduction of the Airbnb tax presents a challenging issue for our local economy,” he said.

“As a tourism-dependent town, every part of our community contributes to and benefits from this sector, even everyday businesses like petrol stations.

The main street of Daylesford is hoping to benefit from the reality television series coming to town.

“The tax represents an additional business expense likely to be passed on to consumers. It could discourage potential visitors, particularly since we lack large, premium accommodation due to planning restrictions.”

Mr Walton said the number of properties sold in Daylesford in 2024 hadn’t dramatically dropped, with homes in the $600,000 to $1m mark among the most reliably transacted, while those priced above $1m faced longer selling periods.

Hepburn Shire Council’s Mayor Brian Hood expressed enthusiasm about the decision in a press statement in July.

The site hasn’t been far from controversy with Daylesford residents’ having mixed thoughts about the show coming to town.

“Council is aware of the decision by the producers of The Block to choose Daylesford for filming of the 2025 season, at the corner of Raglan Street and the Midland Highway in Daylesford,” Mr Hood said in the statement.

“Daylesford will provide a picturesque backdrop for the filming of The Block, and it is anticipated that the production will generate a boost for the local economy.”

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Originally published as The Block 2025: Show first will see five eco homes built from scratch in Daylesford