City of Port Phillip Housing Strategy 2024-2039

Thank you to all the residents who shared feedback during the community engagement period in April 2024. Your feedback helped inform the final Housing Strategy 2024-2039.

You can read the Housing Strategy 2024-2039 Community Engagement Summary Report here.

At the Council Meeting on 7 August, Councillors endorsed the Housing Strategy 2024-2039

Why do we need a new Housing Strategy?

The State Government requires Council to plan for housing growth over the next 15 years, and it is a key initiative of our Council Plan 2021-31. A lot has changed since our last Housing Strategy was developed, including population growth, changing housing needs, increased issues with affordability, and greater focus on sustainability. The Housing Strategy is one of the main ways we seek to planning for our residents' current and future housing needs.

Key components of the Housing Strategy

This 15-year strategy outlines a housing Vision , a Residential D evelopment Framework Plan and P referred Neighbourhood Character Statements to guide the growth and change of future housing in Port Phillip.

Housing Vision

The Housing Strategy sets out a municipal wide housing Vision . This Vision will guide Council’s actions as we endeavour to respond to our key housing challenges and meet the housing needs and aspirations of our evolving community over the next 15 years. To achieve this Vision, the Strategy also sets out objectives , strategies, and actions.

A City with liveable neighbourhoods and places to live that meet the needs of our diverse and growing community.

An evolving City that respects its rich history while adapting and looking to the future. A City of safe, distinct, inclusive, interconnected neighbourhoods. A City that continues its long-standing commitment to providing affordable housing and is a home to our diverse community . A City that is sustainable and resilient to meet the challenges of a changing environment .

Objectives

Objective 1: Ensure adequate housing supply.

Ensuring there is sufficient land available to accommodate projected population growth.

Objective 2: Direct new housing to appropriate locations.

Locating new housing in appropriate locations close to jobs, public transport, open space, and other key facilities and services

Objective 3: Ensure new housing responds to neighbourhood character and heritage values of established residential areas.

Ensuring that new housing respects heritage and responds to preferred neighbourhood character.

Objective 4: Encourage a range of housing options to support our diverse community.

Ensuring access to housing choices that are fit for purpose for people at different life stages and of varied abilities and needs.

Objective 5: Support new housing that is well designed and resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Access to housing choices that are well-designed, consider the environment as well as health and wellbeing of occupants.

Objective 6: Facilitate the provision of more affordable housing.

Access to housing choices that are affordable to live in regardless of changing social or economic status (affordable housing).

Residential Development Framework Plan

The Residential Development Framework Plan (the Framework Plan) primarily aim to implement Objective 2: Direct new housing to appropriate locations (close to jobs, public transport, open space, and other key facilities and services).

It does so by identifying four types of future housing change areas (minimal, incremental, moderate, substantial) in different parts of Port Phillip. This will provide certainty to the community about where different level of growth will be encouraged.

The Framework Plan affirms that majority of the residential zones applied in Port Phillip are still fit for purpose.

These housing change areas are:

You can find out more about the Framework Plan and how it was developed in the Residential Development Framework Plan factsheet and the FAQs we have prepared . It is important to note that not all individual sites will meet all the criteria, the focus has been ensuring their location will be within broader areas where a specific level of change is envisaged.

Preferred Neighbourhood Character Statements

It is important to guide the look and feel of new housing in our neighbourhoods, while also protecting the valued existing character.

Many areas in our municipality are already covered by planning controls such as the Heritage Overlays (HO), Design and Development Overlays (DDO), and Neighbourhood Character Overlays (NCO). In these areas, the future development will continue to be shaped by these controls.

The Preferred Neighbourhood Character statements apply to areas not covered by such controls. In these areas, the future built form would be guided by Preferred Character Statements that have been developed as part of the Neighbourhood Character Study.

You can find out more about Neighbourhood Character in the Neighbourhood Character factsheet and the FAQs we have prepared.

Timeline

We want your input to help us start on a new Housing Strategy for Port Phillip. September 26 - October 31 2022

We will develop a Housing Discussion Paper, shaped by your feedback. It will identify key housing issues and opportunities within Port Phillip. Late 2022 - Early 2023

FAQs

Housing Strategy

• What is a Housing Strategy and what does it aim to achieve?
• Where does the Housing Strategy apply?
• How will the Housing Strategy be implemented?
• How has the draft Housing Strategy been developed?
• What changes were made as a result of previous consultation?

FAQs

Housing Strategy

• What is a Housing Strategy and what does it aim to achieve?
• By 2036, an extra 38,290 people are expected to move to our city and live in an additional 21,480 homes. The Housing Strategy is one of the main ways we plan for our residents' current and future housing needs. The Housing Strategy aims to achieve 6 objectives:
  • Ensure adequate housing supply
  • Direct future housing to appropriate locations
  • Ensure new housing responds to neighbourhood character and heritage values of established residential areas
  • Encourage a range of housing options to support our diverse community
  • Support new housing that is well-designed and resilient to the impacts of climate change
  • Facilitate the provision of more affordable housing

  Neighbourhood Character

  • What is neighbourhood character?
  • Neighbourhood character describes features of the public and private realm that make one area distinctive from another (creating a sense of place). Every building, public place or piece of infrastructure, no matter how great or small, contributes. It is the cumulative impact of all these contributions that establishes neighbourhood character.
  • Why prepare a Neighbourhood Character Study?
  • The purpose of a Neighbourhood Character Study is to identify the existing and preferred future neighbourhood character of residential areas that are not already provided with built form guidance (the study focus area) within the municipality. It’ll help council provide guidance to future development. When planning for future housing change and growth, it is crucial to provide clear guidance for preferred building and design outcomes. This ensures that new developments can contribute to creating resilient, safe, and inspiring neighbourhoods, in which people want to live.
  • Why doesn't Neighbourhood Character Study cover the entire municipality?
  • Many of the areas already covered by planning tools such as the Heritage Overlay (HO), Design and Development Overlay (DDO), and Neighbourhood Character Overlay (NCO). In those area the future built form outcomes would continue to be shaped by these controls that would be regularly reviewed to maintain their relevance.
  • What does the draft Neighbourhood Study propose?
  • The draft Neighbourhood Character Study identified 6 neighbourhood character areas within the focus area of the study. After examining these areas and their character, the study proposed individual draft statements or those 6 areas. The statements aim to reflect the valued features and characteristics of an area but also be ‘forward-looking’ to ensure contemporary housing needs are being met.
  • How will the character statements be implemented?
  • The character statements will inform new design objectives, standards and requirements for the Planning Scheme including neighbourhood character objectives and requirements in the schedules to the residential zones. When appropriate, these statements might shape the future development in residential areas by specifying specific preferred standards, such as minimum street setbacks, site coverage, landscaping, front fence height, and other design elements that contribute to the desired character. In addition, neighbourhood character objectives will be adopted, which will provide guiding objectives regarding overall design, materiality and interaction with the existing built form. This ensures that new developments align with the valued existing character of our neighbourhoods, and the evolving preferred character our community wants to see. This will all contribute to the overall housing vision that has been laid out in this strategy.
  • What does the Neighbourhood Character Study propose for my property?
  • While not all properties are within the study area, there are many properties that will be within one of the six character areas identified in the Neighbourhood Character Study. By using the map on the main Have Your Say project page, you can look up your property and find out whether it falls within an identified character area, and which one it is in. Once you know the character area that your place is in, you can read the Neighbourhood Character Statement for that area and to understand what the study suggests should be the existing and preferred character for your neighbourhood. The Neighbourhood Character Statements can be read in the full study, or within the factsheet that can be found here.
  • What were the findings from the Neighbourhood Character Conversations?
  • In July 2023, we asked you to come along to one of our workshops to have a conversation about neighbourhood character. These conversations were to help us develop inform the draft Neighbourhood Character Study, which helped us consider the preferred future neighbourhood character of residential areas. In a short summary, we heard that: What many of you value most about your neighbourhoods is:
    • The village feel
    • The existing character
    • The diversity of architecture
    • Trees & greenery in both public & private realm and open space.

    In 2039, many of you would like your neighbourhoods to:

    • Be more diverse, from its people to its urban landscape
    • Retain its eclectic character
    • Have more green spaces, trees, green roofs & walls
    • Have more sustainably designed buildings & public spaces
    • Meet the needs of an ageing population
    • Have more mix use in business areas

    Many of you see the greatest opportunities for improving neighbourhood character as:

    • Increasing tree canopy and vegetation coverage
    • Maintaining and expanding open spaces
    • Having a diverse and high quality built form that respects and integrates with existing urban form
    • Increasing ESD requirements for buildings
    • Having diverse housing to cater for a diverse community

    Residential Development Framework Plan

    • What is a Residential Development Framework Plan?
    • A Residential Development Framework Plan is a map that shows the planned level of housing change across the municipality. These areas are generally designated as minimal, incremental, moderate and substantial change areas.
    • What does it mean by 'housing change areas'?
    • The change areas refer to the level of housing growth that is anticipated and encouraged in those areas. When we talk about ‘level of growth’ we’re referring to the additional number of new developments / buildings (not the height of buildings) that is anticipated in an area and the level of change the neighbourhood will experience as a result. It is important to note that the level of proposed change will be relative to its context.
    • Does the Residential Development Framework Plan propose any changes to the existing zones?
    • The draft Framework Plan affirms that majority of the residential zones applied in Port Phillip are fit for purpose. In 2017 we introduced the new residential zones into the Port Phillip Planning Scheme, which, at the time followed a robust methodology endorsed by the Residential Zones Standing Advisory Committee. Shortly after this, the State Government introduced Planning Practice Note (PPN91) which provided new guidance on how to apply residential zones. While most of the residential zones that currently apply are still appropriate, there are ‘investigation areas’ where change (either rezoning or change to existing zone schedules) might be appropriate pending on further strategic work. This is mainly to ensure consistency between zones, overlays and the new Planning Practice Note.
    • How will the Residential Development Framework Plan be implemented?
    • The Residential Development Framework Plan will be implemented by translating it into local planning policy, residential zones and zone schedules to provide statutory guidance on the level of housing changes, typology and built form / character outcomes desired. This will require amending the Port Phillip Planning Scheme. The planning scheme amendment process generally takes up to 2 years and will need to be approved by the Minister for Planning.

    Affordable Housing

    • What does the Housing Strategy propose to facilitate the provision of Affordable housing?
    • The Strategy proposes an aspirational target that 10% of housing within the new housing developments on private land (excluding Fishermans Bend) should be affordable housing.
    • How will the 10% affordable housing target be implemented?
    • The Housing Strategy proposes introducing requirements into local policy of the Planning Scheme for areas outside Fishermans Bend (where there are already affordable housing requirements introduced by the state government). The new policy intends to apply to all rezonings to residential use, and in major developments to provide at least 10% affordable housing.
    • Is the 10% target mandatory?
    • No. The target would not be a mandatory requirement. This is because local government cannot impose mandatory affordable housing target under the current state policy framework. Affordable housing (under most circumstances) can only be facilitated through voluntary agreement, as part of the planning permit application process.
    • Will the 10% target apply to developments of all sizes?
    • No. the intention is for it to be applied to major developments (20 or more dwellings) This approach is preferred as it exempts small-scale / ‘mum & dad’ developers but still Captures a very high proportion of potential new dwellings.

    Document Library

    Final Housing Strategy 2024-2039

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Part 1 & 2 PDF (17.87 MB)

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Part 3.1 PDF (9.11 MB)

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Part 3.2 PDF (18.86 MB)

    Document Library

    Final Housing Strategy 2024-2039

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Part 1 & 2 PDF (17.87 MB)

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Part 3.1 PDF (9.11 MB)

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Part 3.2 PDF (18.86 MB)

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Part 3.3 PDF (1.53 MB)

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Part 4 PDF (10.19 MB)

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Part 5 PDF (5.54 MB)

    

    CoPP Housing Strategy - Detailed Engagement Report Phase 3 PDF (808.56 KB)

    Phase 3 consultation - draft Strategy & factsheets

    

    Draft Places to Live: Port Phillip Housing Strategy PDF (9.69 MB)

    

    Factsheet - Neighbourhood Character Statements PDF (401.96 KB)

    

    Factsheet - Affordable Housing PDF (279.55 KB)

    

    Factsheet - Residential Development Framework Plan PDF (264.66 KB)

    Phase 3 consultation - Technical documents

    

    Copp Neighbourhood Character Study_LatStudios PDF (17.38 MB)

    

    CoPP Housing Capacity Report_Urban Enterprise (November 2022) PDF (5.47 MB)

    

    Affordable Housing Need Report_SGS Economics & Planning (July 2023) PDF (638.91 KB)

    Past consultation

    

    Planning Practice Note 90 PDF (4.50 MB)

    

    Planning Practice Note 91 PDF (3.23 MB)

    

    Phase 2 - Housing Strategy Engagement Summary Report PDF (322.79 KB)

    

    Places to Live - Housing Strategy Discussion Paper PDF (16.47 MB)

    

    Draft Vision and Strategic Directions Info Sheet PDF (1.15 MB)

    

    Commonly Used Planning Terms Info Sheet PDF (1.05 MB)

    

    Phase 1 - Housing Strategy Engagement Report PDF (2.73 MB)

    Contact Us

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    Name	Strategic Planning
    Phone	(03) 9209 6777 (ASSIST)
    Email	housingstrategy@portphillip.vic.gov.au

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