By Sumeyya Ilanbey
A Coalition state government has pledged to rein in housing approvals in booming Melbourne suburbs that are struggling with a lack of infrastructure, despite earlier pledging to fast-track 300,000 housing lots in growth corridors.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy last Thursday unveiled plans for a Population Commission that will “manage population levels”.
Mr Guy told reporters that Melbourne had a defined urban growth boundary and what lay within it needed to be managed properly.
“But we need to think about what comes next,” he said.“We’re not about pressing stop on Melbourne and nothing will ever happen again.
“Planning restrictions on suburbs and towns will only be lifted once infrastructure and the numbers of police, doctors, teachers and healthcare workers reach specific levels.”
He said the Population Commission would provide a long-term vision of how to grow Victoria and decentralise population. It would also identify gaps in services, he said.
“Unplanned, unmanaged population growth is choking Melbourne and it’s leaving parts of country Victoria without the growth they desire,” he said.
Earlier this year, Mr Guy promised a Coalition government would fast-track the rezoning of all Precinct Structure Plans – equivalent to about 300,000 extra housing lots – in Melton, Wyndham, Hume, Whittlesea, Mitchell, Casey and Cardinia, by June 30, 2020.
He argued increasing land supply would drive down demand, making more houses affordable.
– with The Age
