One of the main influences planning has on residential development is where it can direct housing growth.

The location of housing has significant implications for how our city functions and operates. It impacts on service provision and people’s access to public and active transport, open space, and employment opportunities. In turn this has implications on energy use and climate change, social cohesion, and community health and well-being.

It is important that housing growth is managed sustainably, by encouraging it to appropriate locations and providing infrastructure and services to support the health and well-being of the community as it grows.

The Residential Development Framework is the main component of the Housing Strategy responding to this housing pillar.

Outcome 1: Housing growth is directed into the most suitable locations close to services, facilities, and infrastructure to sustainably meet the demands of Darebin’s growing population.

Outcome 2: Infrastructure and services are planned for and delivered in response to the changing needs of the growing community.

Planning policy should ensure that housing reflects the preferences of our residents both current and future.

Planning policy and controls have varying levels of influence over housing diversity. The key determinants of housing diversity relate to the type, size, cost, design, tenure, and location of housing. Housing diversity indicators are also influenced by housing for specific groups such as aged care, student accommodation, and supported accommodation, which all have differing requirements compared to standard housing.

Outcome 3: Housing diversity is increased in response to the community’s equally diverse needs and provides housing choice & affordability close to jobs and services.

Outcome 4: The proportion of housing that supports residents throughout the lifecycle and responds to specialised needs has been increased to ensure residents are not displaced.

The residential character of Darebin’s housing and streets contributes significantly towards the liveability and identity of our neighbourhoods and how they look and feel.

Accommodating growth and change while respecting neighbourhood character is a key challenge that needs to be addressed by the Housing Strategy.

Council’s current approach to managing neighbourhood character is informed by the Darebin Neighbourhood Character Study 2007, which is now over 15 years old. Since that time, significant development has occurred within the municipality and the study is no longer fit-for-purpose to respond to the contemporary housing challenges faced by Darebin.

A new approach has therefore been prepared as part of this Housing Strategy, outlined in the Preferred Neighbourhood Character Statements and Guidelines.

Outcome 5: New development respects the valued characteristics of neighbourhoods in a way that balances housing change while supporting the identity and sense of place of the municipality.

Outcome 6: New development has enhanced the landscape qualities of our neighbourhoods and contributed towards the urban canopy within the municipality.

The design and quality of housing influence the built and natural environment and has implications for community health and well-being. These built form aspects of residential development contribute to the sense of place in our neighbourhoods, residential amenity and liveability, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience.

The Housing Strategy focuses on ways to:

• Improve the design quality and residential amenity of housing in our neighbourhoods.

• Increase the environmental performance of residential development and resilience of our neighbourhoods to the impacts of climate change.

Outcome 7: New development achieves design excellence, respects heritage, and supports the well-being of residents to maintain the liveability of our municipality.

Outcome 8: New housing is located and designed in a way that seeks to achieve a zero-carbon future and supports community resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Minimal Change areas contain special characteristics (e.g. Heritage Overlays) or physical constraints that limit the amount of change that can comfortably be accommodated.

The lowest level of housing change is expected in these locations.

Housing Typologies

Separate dwellings, dual occupancies, and multi-unit development (on larger sites).

Building Heights

Up to 2 storeys

Incremental Change areas are typically established suburban locations away from activity centres and public transport.

They have poorer walkable access to daily needs than Increased Change areas and will therefore support the second lowest level of change within the municipality.

Housing growth will occur in these locations in the context of the preferred character of the area

HOUSING TYPOLOGIES

Multi-unit, townhouse and dual occupancy development.

BUILDING HEIGHTS

Up to 2 storeys (with some 3 storeys)

Increased Change areas are established residential areas located within a reasonable walking catchment of activity centres and public transport.

These positive attributes mean they are able to accommodate an increased level of change.

Housing Typologies

Townhouse and low-rise apartment development

Building Heights

Up to 3 storeys

Substantial Change areas have the greatest level of walkable access to services and public transport, either located within or adjoining activity centres or along major public transport corridors.

These areas will accommodate the greatest level of change with the scale and form of this change varying depending on the context.

Housing Typologies

Apartment and some townhouse development.

Building Heights

3 to 5 storeys (residential areas) depending on the context.

3 to 10+ storeys (commercial areas) depending on the size, role, and function of the activity centre.