The Victorian government has released draft plans showing the proposed heights and boundaries for 23 Activity Centres within train and tram zones in Melbourne that were first announced in March last year.
According to a release from the state government, the draft maps were developed through more than 1,000 in-person and online consultation sessions, with more than 3,000 submissions received in total.
The maps indicate a "core" of taller apartment buildings, ranging from six to 20 storeys high, varying based on planning input from each centre's local council. The government's media release notes that development applications exceeding this specified height are not eligible for the government's fast-tracked pathway.
Beyond the immediate Activity Centre core, the plans allow for a "walkable catchment" with "gentler height limits and more low-rise apartments and townhouses," the media release notes. Within five minutes' walk of the centre or station, heights are limited to four or six storeys on blocks of more than 1,000 square metres. Outer catchments, corresponding with a maximum 10-minute walk from the centre, propose a limit of three or four storeys on blocks larger than 1,000 square metres.
The government's media release notes that in the catchment areas, heritage and landscape overlays will remain in place, as will residents' right to know and respond to advertised applications.
Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny commented, "We want more Victorians to have the opportunity to live close to public transport, their loved ones, and the things that matter to them."
"Whether it's making it easier to build homes close to public transport, townhouses in our inner suburbs, or family homes with a backyard - our planning reforms are all about giving more Victorians real housing choice," she said.
Exhibition and consultation on the draft maps for the first tranche of 25 Activity Centres occurred between September-October last year, following consultation on the first ten pilot Activity Centres in 2024.
A press release from housing advocacy organisation YIMBY Melbourne observes that "compared to the last set of draft plans released, the catchments closest to Melbourne's CBD, such as Prahran and Toorak, represent a more ambitious vision of homes in the places where people want to live." However, the organisation is critical of the economics in Activity Zone catchment areas with smaller lot sizes, which, in their view, would "essentially require amalgamating five or more lots just to access height bonuses. This is an unnecessary hurdle for development."
YIMBY Melbourne lead organiser Jonathan O'Brien commented, "The 1000-square-metre minimum-lot-size is the exact rule a legacy planner would create if they didn't want to see a lot of homes actually get built. And it ignores Melbourne's long history of building tall, thin, beautiful buildings."
The public is invited to submit their feedback on the draft plans for the 23 remaining Activity Centres, including their proposed heights, setbacks and boundaries, during a consultation period that closes on 22 March.
Final plans for all 50 centres are due to be complete by mid-2026.
