High-rise development has been largely banned in wealthy Melbourne suburbs, after Planning Minister Matthew Guy approved new residential zones on Monday.

Two-storey limits have been set for Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell, Brighton, Sandringham and Blacklock among others, The Age newspaper has reported.

However, while this may be good news for NIMBYs – Not In My Back Yard campaigners – some planning experts are warning large scale developments will be stopped near the areas with the best infrastructure and transport.

 

  • In Boroondara Council (including Kew, Hawthorn and Camberwell) 76% of the area is now protected from high rise.
  • In Bayside Council (including Brighton, Hampton, Sandringham and Black Rock) 83% of the area is now protected from high rise.
  • In Stonnington Council (including Prahran, South Yarra, Toorak and Armadale) 38% of the area is now protected from high rise.
In October last year, the Napthine government first released its Plan Melbourne in draft form and one of its goals was to build 1.5 million new dwellings.

High rise towers were seen to be one solution to Melbourne’s predicted substantial population growth.

Some planning experts believe the plan will mean house prices close to the city and older suburbs in the south east will continue to rise, as people earning high incomes gravitate towards excellent amenities.

Meanwhile, a recent Melbourne City Council study has estimated that 55% of the city’s tallest apartment buildings over 15 storeys are considered poor quality, with flaws including bedrooms without windows, cramped layouts, kitchens located in hallways and a lack of natural light.