Victoria’s premier has taken aim at opponents of government plans for high-rise apartments to soar above Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
Jacinta Allan on Sunday announced a plan to create 50 new “activity zones” to help deliver more than 30,000 additional homes across Melbourne by 2051.
Those dwellings will be a mixture of townhouses and apartments centred on 50 high-frequency train stations and tram stops, some in Melbourne’s leafiest and most expensive areas such as Toorak, Armadale and Brighton.
Angry Brighton residents surrounded the pub where Allan announced the plan to media, chanting “shame, premier, shame”.
But Allan said she would not be deterred, stating too many young Victorians spent their weekend frustrated at being locked out of the property market.
“‘I’m a builder, not a blocker,” she said.
“Too many blockers have stopped younger Victorians getting into their own home.
“I challenge anyone to say to a young Victorian why they want to be a blocker, not a builder when it comes to having their hopes and dreams dashed, week in, week out, in being able to find their own home.”
As part of her announcement Allan said the first 25 “activity zones” would focus on stations that benefit from the Metro Tunnel and the well-serviced Frankston, Sandringham, Belgrave/Lilydale and Glen Waverley Lines.
Suburbs will include Murrumbeena, Oakleigh, Hawthorn, Blackburn, Mitcham and West Footscray.
The remaining 25 zones will be announced by the end of 2024, alongside the release of an updated plan for Victoria.
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The 50 newly announced centres add to the 10 initial “activity centres” already announced earlier in 2024 for Broadmeadows, Camberwell, Chadstone, Epping, Frankston, Moorabbin, Niddrie, North Essendon, Preston and Ringwood.
Housing in those areas will vary between three and 20 storeys, but building heights are not yet known for the new 50 zones.
Allan said only one 20-storey building has been approved in Ringwood so far.
The new activity zones were recommended by the Department of Transport and Planning based on an analysis of transport capacity, access to jobs and services and environmental considerations.
The Brighton MP and Liberal planning spokesperson, James Newbury, accused the plan of “screwing over” communities in a post on social media platform X.
He also attended the protest outside the Half Moon hotel while Allan spoke.