Activity Centres: Government Expands High-Rise Into 23 More Suburban Neighbourhood
For Immediate Release
13 February 2025
The release of the final 23 Activity Centre maps continues the Government’s imposition of 20 storey towers on suburban train and tram corridors, with vast surrounding neighbourhoods swept into 3–6 storey apartment catchments.
Liveable Victoria President Jane Oldham said
“This is not careful, local place-based planning. This is a top-down, generic planning by the State Government without regard for future liveability, local place, environmental consequences and community voices. Alternative plans that would meet housing targets whilst retaining what we all love about our suburbs are not being considered.”
Liveable Victoria supports housing growth near public transport in inner and middle ring suburbs that makes our suburbs better places to live. That growth must be planned with communities, not imposed upon them. The Activity Centre Program focuses on building heights without funding new public open space and upgrading already aged and strained infrastructure.
“Planning should create liveable communities, not give developers blanket permission to build higher where they see fit. The Government says it is listening. Yet what communities consistently say they value – amenity, tree canopy, green streetscapes, character, thoughtful conservation of heritage, biodiversity and human-scale design - is not what is planned for future generations.” Oldham continued.
Housing Supply Claims Unproven
The Government maintains the Activity Centres will help deliver 300,000 new homes by 2051. Oldham said key economic claims remain unsubstantiated. Building more does not mean housing will be built nor that affordability will improve.
“The Government continues to promise young Victorians thousands of affordable apartments in places they want to live but it refuses to release modelling showing that simply increasing height limits and faster planning approvals will increase construction and reduce prices. There are already planning approvals for thousands of multi-dwellings not acted upon and hundreds of unsold apartments in these locations.
For more information contact:
Jane Oldham, President, Liveable Victoria, 0416 299 776, liveablevictoria.org@gmail.com
Ian Morgans, Secretary, Liveable Victoria, 0400 872 193, imorgans999@gmail.com
13/2/2026