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Victoria Finalizes 25 Activity-Centre Maps, Clearing 20-Storey Towers in Brunswick and Coburg

Approvals will speed up under deemed-to-comply rules that curb VCAT reviews.

Overview

  • The government released final planning controls for 25 train and tram hubs, with selected sites in Brunswick and Coburg now capped at 20 storeys.
  • With these releases, controls for 35 of 60 targeted precincts are set, and the new rules are expected to begin applying within months.
  • More than 12,500 submissions shaped the final maps, lifting some limits in the inner north while trimming heights in parts of Oakleigh and Kew; Middle Brighton tops out at 12 storeys on selected sites.
  • A statewide mid-rise code taking effect in April will fast-track compliant four- to six-storey projects and remove neighbors’ appeal rights for those permits.
  • The government projects capacity for 300,000 homes in these zones by 2051, a figure the Grattan Institute contests with an estimate of about 110,000, as the opposition pledges to repeal the program if elected.