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Facilitating more new homes in Melbourne’s ‘Missing Middle’


As the population of Victoria continues to grow, we need to capitalise on opportunities to create new homes in existing suburbs with access to services, jobs and transport.


Echelon Planning has recently assisted the Victorian Government to rezone a large surplus government landholding in the established suburb of Wantirna for residential purposes. This 1.25ha site will ultimately accommodate a mix of housing densities and types in a location which needs greater housing choice.


Echelon’s involvement included recommending and preparing planning controls for the site, and representing the Department of Treasury and Finance at the Government Land Standing Advisory Committee hearing. We were successful in arguing that the planning controls for a large infill site such as Wantirna needed site-specific controls that enable medium density housing, rather than applying the surrounding zoning schedules to the land, which would have placed strict limits on building heights, setbacks, landscaping and private open space on the site.


This approach is important if Melbourne is to meet the challenge of providing homes for people in locations with access to jobs and services.


Information on the site including the Advisory Committee’s report can be accessed here.


(Image source: NearMap, 2018).

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