Media response - Victorian Government housing targets

Published on 21 June 2024

Approach from The Age

We are writing a story looking at the state government's new housing targets. Do you have a response? Is it possible to meet the new targets? What are the barriers (if any)?

Response

Monash currently has 76,177 dwellings.  The Victorian Government’s draft Housing Target is an additional 72,000 dwellings by 2051 - a 92% increase on the current number.  Achieving that target would require the construction of 2,571 new dwellings per year. For comparison over the last five years there have been an average 1,167 new dwellings constructed a year, so the target represents a significant increase.

The Victorian Government’s focus appears almost exclusively on “freeing up” the approvals process by pointing to the existing state government approved residential zones.  

This is not the case in Monash, since 2014, through our Housing Strategy and planning zones we promote, support, and encourage residential growth, including apartment buildings in and around our activity centres. 

Like most councils in metropolitan Melbourne, Monash issue significantly more planning permits for new dwellings than are built. This points to broader issues in the residential development industry, outside of the planning permit system and raises the question as to what is preventing the development industry taking up the development opportunities that the planning system currently provides. 

Ultimately, Council can only approve applications that it receives. Achieving the draft target requires the development industry to almost double the current level of residential construction in Monash.

We look forward to working with the Victorian Government to better understand how they plan to achieve these goals in partnership with councils and with genuine local community input.

Issued: 21 June

To: The Age

Quoting: Mayor Cr Nicky Luo