Victoria Housing Statement Summary

The Victorian Housing Statement was released on 20th September 2023 in response to the growing urgency for greater housing supply to support project population growth.

The Victorian Government has set a target of 80,000 dwellings per year for the first decade, and in total an additional 1.6 million homes in Victoria by 2051.

The Victorian Housing Statement includes a range of new initiatives that seek to boost the supply of housing, including:

• Additional short-term staffing in the Department of Transport and Planning to clear the current application backlog
• Using the Development Facilitation Program to streamline planning approvals for medium and high-density residential development with construction costs of greater than $50m in Melbourne and $15m in regional Victoria which deliver at least 10% affordable housing
• New planning controls including developer incentives in 10 priority activity centres across Melbourne to deliver an additional 60,000 homes: Broadmeadows, Camberwell Junction, Chadstone, Epping, Frankston, Moorabbin, Niddrie (Keilor Road), North Essendon, Preston (High Street) and Ringwood
• Permit exemptions and streamlined planning approvals for single dwellings and “granny flats”
• Deemed to Comply residential standards for Council planning assessments
• Greater powers for VCAT and Planning Panels Victoria recommended by the Red Tape Commissioner
• Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) to continue work programme on 21 priority precincts 
• Specific planning pathway for institutional investors in the delivery of social, affordable, key worker and market housing
• Unlocking and rezoning surplus government land across 45 sites in Melbourne and regional Victoria
• Introduction of the Short Stay Levy with revenue raised to go to Homes Victoria
• An additional $500 million for the Victorian Homebuyer Fund
• Further initiatives to protect renter rights
• $1 billion Regional Housing Fund delivering 1,300 homes in regional Victoria
• $150 million for a Regional Worker Accommodation Fund
• Demolition and redevelopment of Melbourne’s 44 high rise public housing estates to accommodate an additional 20,000 people by 2051

We understand further announcements will be made in due course regarding the reform to the planning system, including Better Apartment Design Standards and updating Plan Melbourne to include all of Victoria.

Please get in touch with one of our specialists at Ethos Urban to discuss how the Victorian Housing Statement may affect you: Tim Peggie, Jules Griffith, Josh Maitland or Chris McNeill.

20th September 2023