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What we'll do

In partnership with councils, we’ll implement the local government area housing targets in this plan. This will include translating the targets for each area into planning schemes so it’s clear where more homes will be built and where there will be less change over time.

This plan includes housing targets for every local government area in Victoria, specifying their share of the target of 2.24 million homes. Councils are perfectly placed to implement the housing targets, as they know their local context in so much detail. But where more support is needed, we’ll step in to ensure efficient achievement of the targets.

Each council will review its planning scheme to ensure it’s creating enough housing capacity in the right locations to help deliver the housing targets. Planning schemes that do not deliver enough capacity will require timely review and update.

We’ll provide councils with updated policy guidance and supporting tools to help identify locations well-serviced with jobs, shops, public transport and community facilities and services so their planning schemes reflect the plan’s pillars and housing targets.

Why this action is important

We must make sure all Victorians have the choice of an affordable home that suits them.

The fairest, most sensible way to work out where new homes should be located is to prioritise locations well-serviced with jobs, shops, public transport and community facilities and services (along with other considerations listed earlier in this plan).

Until a few decades ago, very few people lived in Melbourne central city. It wasn’t a lively, vibrant city after business hours. Planning initiatives in the 1990s changed this by encouraging apartments and improving streetscapes, creating the lively central city we have today with its tens of thousands of apartments and many ways of enjoying life.

We can create equivalent change for the better around Melbourne’s train stations and in regional city centres, particularly in activity centres and precincts, including Suburban Rail Loop East. While the extent of change will vary depending on the location, these are great locations to build more homes to give you more choices of the location, affordability and type of your home.

Locations with the biggest range of homes, including social and affordable homes, allow for the most diverse and inclusive communities.

Quantifying access to opportunities and services: ATOS

Plan for Victoria is about how we get more homes in locations well-serviced with jobs, shops, public transport and community facilities and services. But how do we know where these locations are?

To answer this question, we use a planning tool that combines a detailed analysis of transport services and the location of jobs and services (such as supermarkets, medical services and open space) into a measure called ATOS: access to opportunities and services. We used this tool to select the prioritised locations in this plan. We’ll continue to work with councils to improve ATOS, so we know how your neighbourhood is progressing towards equal access to jobs, shops, public transport and community facilities and services.

Responsibility

Department of Transport (DTP) and councils

Short term milestone

How we will do it

  • Amend PPF Clause 11 (Settlement)
  • New planning practice note
  • Planning schemes updated

Photo: Balfe Park Lane in Brunswick East, Victoria - Kerstin Thompson Architects
Photography: Leo Showell

Leading pillar

Page last updated: 28/02/25