Where Melbourne’s next 25 activity centres should go, according to one group

The inner and northern suburbs should be the focus for the next 25 railway station precincts the Allan government is targeting for higher-density housing, YIMBY Melbourne says.

Analysis by the housing activist group found Collingwood, North Richmond, Prahran and West Richmond were most suitable to be included in the next tranche of suburbs listed as transport hubs zoned for higher-density living, based on the suburbs’ transport connections, amenity, planning rules and distance to the CBD.

YIMBY’s analysis comes after the Allan government last week revealed another 50 activity centres would be subject to a new planning framework to fast-track residential development. The government has so far named 25 of them, including Brighton, Malvern and Toorak – a move which sparked a snap protest in Brighton with chants of “shame” at the premier.

Earlier this year, the government identified an initial 10 activity centres such as Camberwell, Epping and Ringwood that would also be zoned to streamline apartment construction.

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny on Sunday said the next 25 activity centres to be announced later this year would focus on public transport capacity and frequency, market readiness and access to jobs and services.

Under the Allan government’s plan, it would take over some planning controls around the railway stations to encourage taller apartments at the core of the activity centres. Low-rise apartments and townhouses would also be encouraged in surrounding streets within an 800-metre radius.

While the government is yet to name the next 25, YIMBY Melbourne has analysed where it says they should go.

The group – created to advocate against the not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) approach that has hindered development – made a formula to consider the capacity and frequency of train services, buses and trams, and their distance from the CBD. It also ranked the stations based on available amenities such as schools and parks and the prevalence of residential land with low-density zoning within a one-kilometre radius.

The analysis assumed lots with heritage protection could not be developed, but the group said it would have more to say on heritage next year.

Proximity to the city and potential for new housing were weighted most heavily in the calculations.

The analysis did not include any upcoming changes such as the Metro Tunnel, due to open next year, or the Suburban Rail Loop. It also hasn’t made adjustments for amenity that could be affected by planned projects.

Collingwood station ranked most highly, particularly for its connection to local bars, cafés, restaurants and supermarkets. While the area is largely covered by local heritage rules, YIMBY Melbourne still found 824 residential lots around the station suitable for up-zoning.

Neighbouring stations North Richmond, West Richmond and Victoria Park were also among those found to be most suitable.

Yarra, Darebin, Banyule, Merri-bek, Boroondara and Stonnington local government areas topped the YIMBY list. Eighteen of the 25 stations pinpointed are serviced by the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines, including those further from the city centre such as Thornbury, Ivanhoe and Heidelberg.

South Yarra, Richmond and North Melbourne were excluded from the list because extremely high train frequency skewed the data set, but could be prioritised first, the group said.

Paul Spasojevic, lead researcher of YIMBY Melbourne’s analysis of “the next 25”, said the government, councils and planners had to get better at communicating and weighing up the trade-offs while Melbourne grew.

“A big part of better, more transparent policy is measurement and visualisation,” he said.

Allan is yet to stipulate how tall residential construction could go in the last 50 activity centres, as this will be based on consultation. But housing in the first 10 is expected to be capped at between three and 20 storeys, with lower rise allowed in neighbouring streets.

North Richmond station is another that made it on YIMBY’s next-25 activity centres list. Credit: Luis Ascui

Matthew Bowes, an associate in the Grattan Institute’s housing and economic security program, said detail on how activity centres interacted with heritage rules and minimum parking requirements would be key.

“Those kinds of details really matter as to how feasible development in these centres will be and how easy it will be to create affordable apartments,” Bowes said.

“Ultimately, if there’s a message that comes out of the work that YIMBY Melbourne are doing, to me, it’s that there’s actually a lot of great places that could be up-zoned.”

YIMBY Melbourne lead organiser Jonathan O’Brien said the government’s ambition was admirable.

“What our research shows is that it could feasibly be doubled,” O’Brien said.

“Now it’s time to see them delivered in a way that makes it much easier to build, and unlocks more homes where people want to live.”

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