New homes among the gumtrees

(FILE)

The State Government has announced it would soon release huge blocks of land across the state, including 104 hectares north of McCormacks Road in Cardinia, for new homes in the coming decade.

On Wednesday 23 October, the government released a plan for 27 additional greenfield areas across Melbourne’s outer south-east, north, and west to be released over the next 10 years, promising to provide the space and complete the planning work to deliver 180,000 new homes over the decade.

The first greenfield plans set to be released in 2024-25 included Cardinia Creek South Precinct (Part 2), Casey Fields South Precinct,, Croskell Precinct, and Devon Meadows Precinct.

The second greenfield plans set to be released in 2025-26 and 2028-29 include Clyde South Precinct.

According to the State Government, the key part of the 10-year plan is the potential growth for home builders.

The State Government said it would also improve the planning system.

From 1 January 2025, the Victorian Planning Authority would be integrated with the Department of Transport and Planning meaning, for the first time, the four major components of Victoria’s planning system – strategic, transport, statutory and spatial – would be “working together to cut delays and duplication, and deliver faster and better structure planning”, the government said.

The State Government would also offer a dedicated concierge service to work with councils and industry to identify, intervene and fix the issues that were preventing zoned land from being developed.

The State Government would also review several existing greenfield PSPs which are not yet fully developed to understand opportunities for increasing the number and types of homes where there is sufficient planned infrastructure.

According to a State Government statement, the plans would help realise the State Government’s vision of 70 per cent of homes in Melbourne going in inner and established areas with 30 per cent going in outer-suburban ‘greenfield’ areas, instead of the other way around.

Planning and Suburbs Minister Sonya Kilkenny said the plan was a response to a number of calls from key industry bodies.

“This is a window ten years into the future for home builders like those represented by the Urban Development Institute of Australia, it’s what they’ve been asking for to plan and build with confidence,” she said.

“This is all about providing choice and getting the balance right between development in the outer suburbs and development in the inner city.

“For too long, that’s been too one-sided.”

Premier Jacinta Allan said the plan would help deliver ten years’ worth of family homes with backyards.

“Whether it’s a new house with a backyard that’s fit for a big family, or a unite in the inner suburbs near a train station for a first home buyer – I’m about more homes and more opportunities for everyone,” she said.

For more information on the plan, visit vic.gov.au/more-homes