Niddrie (Keilor Road) & North Essendon

Planning for a thriving Niddrie & North Essendon

We have finalised the Niddrie (Keilor Road) Activity Centre Plan and the North Essendon Activity Centre Plan to guide what your area could look like over the next 10, 20 and 30 years.

The plan provides for more homes within the activity centre ‘cores’, closest to the trams, shops and services along Keilor and Mount Alexander Roads.

In the surrounding ‘catchments’, within 10 minutes’ walk of the activity centre cores, the plan mandates lower-rise apartments and townhouses.

As you move away from the commercial and community cores of the activity centres, the  building heights gradually decrease, creating a transition between the activity centres and the surrounding suburbs.

A new streamlined planning process in the activity centre cores will make sure more of the right types of homes can be built faster.

Niddrie and North Essendon will gradually change over the next few decades, growing into a more lively, inclusive and sustainable local community and providing some of the new homes we need between now and 2051.

How your feedback has shaped our plans

We heard from the local community through two rounds of consultation, and your feedback has helped to shape our plans:

• We've used your feedback about Niddrie and North Essendon’s role as a centre focused on servicing its local neighbourhood to limit where buildings over three storeys are permitted, and capping heights at four storeys for lots over 1000m2 in the catchment.
• We heard that upgrading local infrastructure is important for supporting more homes, so we’re introducing a new funding mechanism to raise funds for new and upgraded local infrastructure.
• Your feedback about overshadowing has helped us refine our plans to make sure important parks, streets and places remain sunny all year round.

Your key to the Niddrie (Keilor Road) & North Essendon Activity Centres

These two activity centres will provide a range of homes and building types for a mix of people through all stages of life across the area. The plans include medium and low-rise buildings in the catchments, and taller buildings in the activity centre cores.

The plan’s precincts and controls will make sure the right types of homes are built in the places they fit best. These are some of the kinds of homes you might see more of in the future.

More on the Activity Centres Program

Find out more about how we’re planning for more homes close to public transport, jobs and services:

• Why we plan for activity centres
• About our plans
• Supporting liveable activity centres
• What this means for you
• Expanding the activity centres program

Page last updated: 14/04/25