State Moves Ahead with Next Stage of Ascot Vale Scheme

Community consultation for the second stage of the Dunlop Avenue redevelopment at Ascot Vale in Melbourne’s north-west has opened.

The Homes Victoria project aims to deliver 101 modern, well-designed homes supported by improved communal areas, replacing the old walk-up buildings on the site by 2028.

The “visioning engagement” phase continues until November 2, 2025, and invites residents and the broader community to contribute to the design process for the energy-efficient housing development.

Design consultation is to follow early next year and final designs to be exhibited in late 2026.

The development is a joint initiative between the Commonwealth Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund and the Victorian Government. Construction is to begin in 2027 after the demolition of the buildings on the site mid-2026.

At the eastern corner of Union Road and Dunlop Avenue, the site is 5km north-west of the Melbourne CBD, near shops, transport and services in central Ascot Vale.

Stage 1 at Dunlop Avenue, which delivered 200 social and affordable homes across six three-storey buildings, was completed in 2023.

▲ The Hayball-designed Dunlop Avenue Stage 1 was completed in early 2023.

Designed by Hayball with landscape architecture by Tract, the Stage 1 development was a finalist in the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards in the architectural design category.

Stage 1 achieved a 5-star Green Star rating and 7-star NatHERS average rating, with homes meeting the Liveable Housing Australia Silver standard.

The development’s tenure-blind design alternated social and affordable housing across buildings, with communal facilities positioned to encourage social interaction.

Masterplanned to retain significant open space and established trees, the Stage 1 precinct social housing is being managed by Evolve Housing, with National Affordable Housing leasing and managing the affordable housing component.

▲ Rendering of the approved Hamton and Hostplus Stage 6 at Moonee Valley Racecourse.

Meanwhile, “the biggest project we’ve fast-tracked so far”,  has been approved by planning minister Sonya Kilkenny—the Hamton and Hostplus $709-million sixth stage of the Moonee Valley Racecourse transformation.

The project was fast-tracked through the Development Facilitation Program and will deliver 1092 homes across four apartment buildings, including more than 500 build-to-rent homes, a 184-room residential hotel, and over 3000sq m of retail and office space.