The Victorian Government has unveiled draft plans for new high-rise housing precincts across Melbourne, with buildings of up to 20 storeys proposed in key transport-linked activity hubs. The developments form part of a long-term strategy to deliver around 300,000 new homes near train and tram networks by 2051, aimed at easing the housing shortage and improving access to jobs, services, and public transport.
Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said the initiative is designed to make it easier and fairer for residents to live in well-connected suburbs that have become increasingly unaffordable. Under the proposal, higher-density buildings would be concentrated in central activity zones, with gradually lower building heights extending outward into surrounding neighbourhoods.
Some precincts could allow towers reaching up to 20 storeys near major institutions such as Monash University, while other areas would see developments ranging from mid-rise to lower-rise housing depending on local density and infrastructure capacity. Officials said the plans also aim to balance growth more evenly, reducing pressure on outer suburbs that have experienced rapid expansion in recent decades.
Residents and stakeholders have been invited to review the draft maps and provide feedback through public consultations before final planning decisions are made.
