MORE than 30,000 houses should be built in the Frankston local government area by 2051, the state government says.
The Victorian government has set every council a housing target to reach by 2051. It has declared that 36,000 homes should be built in the Frankston municipality during that timeframe. It has set a target of 59,000 homes for the neighboring Kingston Council area.
The state government is encouraging councils to undergo planning changes to accommodate housing development. In a media release accompanying the housing target announcement, it said “Victoria’s councils have the powers to unlock space for more homes by proposing changes to local planning rules. The government will consult closely with councils to harness their local knowledge, with councils to report back on the draft target and the local changes they propose.”
Frankston Council has been developing its FMAC structure plan during this council term – the divisive plan outlines preferred height limits of up to 16 storeys for developments in parts of Frankston’s city centre. The plan and associated planning scheme amendment is expected to be considered by a planning panel next month (“Hundreds call for height limit changes” The Times 19/3/2024). Frankston mayor Nathan Conroy said the plan will help the state government with its planning objectives.
“Frankston City Council will continue to work with the state government to deliver more housing options throughout Frankston City. We have developed our Frankston Metropolitan Activity Centre Structure Plan, which plans for the growth of our city centre for the next 20 years. Council is also developing the draft Frankston City Housing Strategy along with our Social and Affordable Housing Policy,” Conroy said. “Housing should be encouraged near public transport, employment opportunities and services with adequate access to open space.
Critical to this will be the roles of the Department of Transport and Planning and Melbourne Water to support and work alongside council as we reimagine our future and build our vital housing supply, particularly with the development of the state government’s proposed draft Plan Victoria. “These strategies will give council the foundations in which we can work with state and federal governments and give developers and community housing providers certainty when investing in our city.”
Premier Jacinta Allan has called on councils to provide all the support they can to help build more than two million new homes statewide over the next 30 years. “To give industry the confidence they need to get on and build, we need government and all councils working towards the same goal – more homes for Victorians, in the right places,” she said.
The housing targets are in the draft stage. The final targets are expected to be released by the end of the year. To take part in community consultation visit engage.vic.gov.au/project/shape-our-victoria/page/housing-targets-2051