Housing Strategy & Neighbourhood Character Study

Background

The Victorian Government estimates Melbourne will grow to 7.9 million people by 2051.

Our city can’t keep sprawling outwards, so the Victorian Government’s Plan Melbourne sets out how all local Councils will have to take their fair share of the growth. Kingston Council has long-campaigned to see population growth centred around our key activity centres, close to public transport, shops and services. This would allow us to protect the neighbourhood character and amenity of our quieter residential streets.

We need Victorian Government support – through changes to the Planning Scheme and adoption of our Residential Zones – to make this happen.

Why a Housing Strategy & Neighbourhood Character Study?

Melbourne’s high levels of growth means that local Councils are faced with the challenge of how to accommodate more people while retaining what we love about our neighbourhoods.

To address these challenges, Council is undertaking a Housing Strategy & Neighbourhood Character Study. The Housing Strategy component is a twenty-year plan to manage housing growth and change across all residential areas in Kingston. This Strategy also provides a basis to review residential zones across the municipality.

The Neighbourhood Character Study involves a detailed assessment of neighbourhood character in Kingston’s residential areas and the creation of design guidelines to influence what new development should look like.

Council has been working collaboratively with our community to develop the first draft of both the Housing Strategy and Neighbourhood Character Study. We have held a series of community meetings, online and hard-copy surveys, listening posts, guided and self-guided walking tours and established a Community Panel – representing a wide cross-section of Kingston residents.