Design boundaries revealed for the re -use of the most important transport hubs of Melbourne

Victoria calls on the community to give feedback on planning controls for homes along the busiest transport corridors in Melbourne.

After a first overlaw round launched in May 2025, the Victorian government released concept plans with proposed heights and boundaries for new houses in 25 train and tram zones.

These zones are part of 50 activity centers, which are set to make more than 300,000 houses near transport, jobs and services possible by 2051.

The first 25 zones are expected to deliver more houses in some of the busiest transport corridors in Melbourne.

As part of the process, the Victorian government where new houses must be built and what kind of houses are suitable for each area – as set out in the draft plans are considering.

“We make this city more fair for employees and families. Too many people are locked up from the suburbs where they want to live – and I am on their side,” said Victoria’s Prime Minister Jacinta Allan.

What the plans outline

There are individual design plans for each of the 25 activity centers. These plans specify proposed building heights for two sections in each center: the core and electric areas.

The core refers to the central part of activity centers, which are closest near transport corridors.

In these areas, the plans for more houses in longer apartment buildings, with heights ranging per location – some to six floors, others, others up to 16.

Eligible buildings in core areas will be “deemed to comply with the planning rules and will be exempt from VCAT assessment. Applications that exceed the height boundaries are not eligible for the fast staircase and would go through a regular planning process.

The Carnegie Station Train and Tram Zone represents the building heights of three to 12 floors in its core. Photo: Involve Victoria

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Strongerings are 800 meters of public transport within a 10-minute walk. These plans encourage more low construction apartments and mansions.

In inner electric areas (within a five -minute walk), the proposals limit buildings to four floors, or six floors on larger blocks of more than 1000 m².

Outdoor river areas (within a 10 -minute walk from stations) also present limits of three floors or four floors on those larger blocks.

These limits set a maximum height objective, which means that future developments can be built on these heights, but are not necessarily built in their maximum.

With the draft cards that have now been released and available to be viewed on the website of the State Government of Victoria, a second round of Community Consult will help determine the latest heights and boundaries for the new planning controls.

This continues for the rest of September and closes on October 19, 2025 and invites public feedback to heights, setbacks and boundaries.

Consultation for all 50 centers is expected to be completed at the beginning of 2026.

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