As the Suburban Rail Loop steams ahead, two suburbs fear they’ll be changed forever

A new battle line has been drawn over housing density in Melbourne’s middle ring, as an eastern suburbs council warns the Allan government not to use the Suburban Rail Loop as cover to flood its heritage and low-rise residential streets with apartments.

The rail project is a key part of state government plans to build more housing in Melbourne’s well-serviced suburbs, rather than on the urban fringe.

Whitehorse Mayor Denise Massoud, in one of Box Hill’s heritage streets, is concerned about the loss of neighbourhood character.Credit: Justin McManus

New underground stations will be built in Box Hill and Burwood as part of the $34.5 billion first stage of the mega project, and Whitehorse City Council fears the station developments will trigger a rush to build high-density housing in streets characterised by “traditional residential development”.

Councillors have warned the state government not to shut the council out of the planning process, or to override its local heritage and neighbourhood character overlays, which guard against new housing development in many low-rise streets near the planned new stations.

Several low-rise areas in Box Hill and Burwood have been included within the planning boundaries of the station precincts, which are expected to absorb tens of thousands of new residents following the tunnel’s construction.

Those precincts have recently been brought under state government control as planning ramps up for the first stage of the loop between Cheltenham and Box Hill.

The state government’s draft precinct visions for Box Hill and Burwood contemplate three scenarios for housing change: medium, higher and significant.

They forecast that Box Hill’s population will grow to 77,500 people by the 2050s, with 48,500 jobs; while Burwood’s population will grow to 44,500, with 24,000 jobs.

In a submission to the Suburban Rail Loop Authority, Whitehorse City Council called for several neighbourhoods within walking distance of the two planned stations to be ringfenced from any housing intensification.

“Council does not believe it is appropriate for heritage precincts to be included in a medium change area,” the submission argues, calling for high-density growth to be concentrated along tram corridors and main roads.

Whitehorse is the second council in the eastern suburbs to ring the alarm over the state government’s ambitious housing development plans.

The neighbouring City of Boroondara has also pushed back against plans to build thousands of new homes around Camberwell Junction as part of the government’s housing statement, which aims to locate 70 per cent of Melbourne’s future housing growth in existing suburbs.

Whitehorse said in its submission that it feared the council was being shut out of the planning process by the Suburban Rail Loop Authority.

The authority took over urban planning within the station precincts in December, and has so far failed to respond to Whitehorse’s request to work in partnership to develop plans for the two areas, the council said.

The council said freezing it out brought risks “that the project outcomes may not meet council’s or the community’s expectations and aspirations”.

Whitehorse has urged the Allan government not to make any decisions on the Burwood and Box Hill station precincts until its concerns are resolved.

City of Whitehorse Mayor Denise Massoud said the draft visions for the station precincts suggested a concerning degree of change was being planned.

“We’re not saying no to increased density; it is about doing it well,” she said.

“We’re not against that growth, but there are some heritage spots that have got real neighbourhood character that is the history of Box Hill ... and it is at risk of being disturbed, destroyed.”

David Nichols, a professor of urban planning at the University of Melbourne, said the battle to preserve old Box Hill had essentially been lost a long time ago, and the council should be focused on encouraging good development.

“The real danger is that there’s development done, and it’s done in a shoddy manner,” he said. “Some of the Box Hill development up to this point has not been quite as marvellous as it could have been … There are lots of established templates for how you can make a beautifully liveable, culturally rich community around a major station.”

Patrick Fensham, the Planning Institute of Australia’s Victorian president, said that as Melbourne grows to 8 million by 2050, it should be expected that areas within walking distance of major transport infrastructure will densify.

Box Hill’s evolving skyline, seen from Whitehorse Road in February last year.Credit: Scott McNaughton

But he said it was critical that people in those areas “be given a clear vision of what’s going to change for the better”.

“How much open space have they got now and what might they expect? What is car usage now and what will it be in future? What might the outcomes be in terms of diverse housing?”

Fensham said heritage overlays can act as proxy planning controls, protecting private open space and tree canopies.

“If we sweep them away in the name of housing supply, what are we replacing it with?” he said. “There’s got to be a community dividend.”

Municipal Association of Victoria president David Clark said it was vital that all levels of government work together on planning matters, especially for major city-shaping projects.

“Plans informed by the local knowledge within councils will have a greater chance of success and delivery,” he said.

A Suburban Rail Loop Authority spokesperson said the authority was working closely with the community and councils to deliver the best possible outcomes around each new station.

“With Melbourne’s population set to be the size of London’s by the 2050s, we can’t afford not to build this city-shaping project. [The Suburban Rail Loop] is a key part of how we manage that growth and provide more diverse and affordable housing in well-connected suburbs.”