Seven Sites, 10,000-Homes Tipped for Vic Rezoning Pathway
The Victorian Government has announced seven sites with capacity for 10,000 new homes have been fast-tracked for rezoning via its newest planning pathway.
The “underutilised” land includes former industrial land, golf courses, racetracks and surplus university sites.
The sites will be assessed through the state government’s Unlocking Strategic Sites program, in which it is aiming to cut council-led rezoning assessment times in half.
It is aiming for one-year assessment times to rezone land, to kick start housing growth on specific sites, it said.
The sites include surplus land at 245 Burwood Highway which is part of Mount Scorpius Memorial College 15km east of Melbourne CBD, a former Bunnings site at Preston, and land at Wodonga Gold Club at Wodonga East.
There is also land at Plenty Road at Bundoora next to La Trobe University—part of its $5-billion ‘University City’ plans—outer sections of the Kilmore Racing Club facility, a former radio station in Bendigo and a Radio Australia site at North Shepparton.
Projects will require a minimum of 10 per cent affordable housing.
The first seven sites could deliver about 9155 homes and 8900 jobs, the government said.
They will be subject to a planning assessment process, in which the Minister for Planning becomes the planning authority.
It will engage with referral authorities, local government and undertake a public consultation for the rezoning.
The Unlocking Strategic Sites pathway was introduced in September 2025 and expands on the Development Facilitation Program.
The program requires that the land is 2ha or more, be supported by infrastructure and servicing agencies and includes the delivery of public benefits.
The expressions of interest also had to demonstrate that investment is committed or available, and that it has been “unreasonably delayed” by the planning system, with a planning permit application to be submitted within 12 months of the rezoning.
