- Published:
- Sunday 20 October 2024
More homes mean more opportunity – that’s why the Allan Labor Government will deliver more homes for young people, families and downsizers around 50 train stations and tram stops in Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
In an expansion of the Government’s Activity Centre program, Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny visited Middle Brighton Station today to announce the station will form the heart of one of 50 new ‘train and tram zone’ Activity Centres to help deliver more than 300,000 additional homes across Melbourne by 2051.
The new ‘train and tram zones’ encourage more homes around high-frequency train lines – with the first 25 announced today focusing on stations that benefit from the Metro Tunnel and the well-serviced Frankston, Sandringham, Belgrave/Lilydale and Glen Waverley Lines.
The time is right to boost housing near public transport. Every line has seen service improvements. Melbourne’s train network has completely transformed over the last ten years, with more services, more than 50 new or upgraded stations, 84 level crossings gone for good, more to go – and the Metro Tunnel on its way next year.
Seven centres connected to the new Metro Tunnel will enjoy a service boost on new trains – Carnegie, Hughesdale, Murrumbeena, Oakleigh, Middle Footscray, West Footscray and Tottenham Stations.
Six centres along the Belgrave/Lilydale Line (and the existing Camberwell and Ringwood activity centres) benefit from 5-minute peak services: Hawthorn, Glenferrie, Auburn, Blackburn, Nunawading and Mitcham Stations.
On the Frankston Line, four centres are located at Toorak, Hawksburn, Armadale and Malvern Stations. All level crossings on this line will go, and trains will return to the City Loop when the Metro Tunnel opens.
On the Sandringham Line, where eight trains per hour run during peak times, four centres are located at North Brighton, Middle Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham Stations.
On the Glen Waverley line, where nine trains per hour run during peak times, centres are located at Tooronga Station, Darling Station, plus a combined centre covering both Gardiner and Glen Iris Stations.
One centre, Toorak Village, is a built-up area along the Route 58 tram. This centre plus Middle Footscray are classified as smaller ‘neighbourhood activity centres’ to plan for more modest growth.
The locations for the remaining 25 of 50 ‘train and tram zone’ Activity Centres will be announced in late 2024 with the release of Plan For Victoria – a comprehensive plan to support the future of every community in the state.
All but one of the first 25 of 50 centres are based directly on train stations and all are serviced by trains, following community feedback on the 10 draft Activity Centre Plans emphasising the importance of transport connections.
A combined 85 dangerous and congested level crossings have been removed along these train lines over the last ten years, or are scheduled to be removed in the future – delivering more trains, more often.
More than 70 upgrades to schools and kinders near each of the first 25 centres to be announced have been funded by the Labor Government since 2016.
The locations of the centres were recommended by the Department of Transport and Planning based on an analysis of transport capacity, access to jobs and services, and environmental considerations.
Government will work with these communities to progressively introduce new planning controls – engaging with councils and locals to understand their priorities and help enhance what’s important about their neighbourhood.
The 25 centres announced today will be delivered in two tranches over the next 12 months, with timelines to be communicated clearly. The process for all 50 new centres is likely to be complete by 2026.
The 50 new centres add to the 10 initial Activity Centres in Broadmeadows, Camberwell, Chadstone, Epping, Frankston, Moorabbin, Niddrie, North Essendon, Preston and Ringwood – but the plans won’t be the same, because every community is different.
Activity Centre planning is about building more opportunities and better communities by setting clear expectations for long-term growth, giving the community a say early, and streamlining planning to unblock home building.
Overall, the vision for train and tram zones is for taller buildings in the immediate ‘core’ at the station, with gentler, scaled height limits and more low-rise apartments and townhouses alongside existing houses in the walkable catchments surrounding.
In these catchment areas up to 800 metres from the station, the rights of residents to know, have their say and appeal will not change through this program, heritage and landscape overlays will stay in place, and how it works in every community will be designed in consultation with locals.
The Activity Centre Pilot Program was announced in Victoria’s Housing Statement. Alongside delivering 13,300 new social and affordable homes, and Australia’s largest housing project – the Suburban Rail Loop and its six housing precincts – the program is just one of the ways Government is building more homes.
It’s also just one of a series of announcements the Government will make this week about more homes, more support for industry, infrastructure and parks, and more opportunity for renters, owners and buyers.
For more information about the existing 10 Activity Centres, visit engage.vic.gov.au/activitycentres. To read more about the Government’s plans for more homes and more opportunity, visit vic.gov.au/more-homes.
Quotes attributable to Premier Jacinta Allan
“Building more homes around 50 inner-suburban train stations means young people have more opportunity to rent or buy a place that’s directly connected to public transport.”
“I know it won’t fix everything, but it will deliver more homes and new life to inner suburbs that are full of jobs, transport and services – where young buyers and renters are currently locked out.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny
“This isn’t about overnight change – this is about incremental change that sets Victoria up for the next generation, so we can have more opportunities for young people and better communities for everyone.”
“Many of these communities have never had a formal plan for their future before, and this process will enhance what’s special about these suburbs while delivering more homes near transport, shops, schools, services and parks.”