More housing diversity needed
A new report released by Infrastructure Victoria has highlighted the need for greater choice and housing diversity to meet Victoria’s growing population.
The report entitled ‘Our home choices: how more housing options can make better use of Victoria’s existing infrastructure’ looks at how existing demand for housing in new greenfield suburbs in Melbourne and regional centres can be shifted to established suburbs, closer to existing infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and public transport.
Infrastructure Victoria is an independent advisory body with 3 roles:
preparing a 30 year infrastructure strategy for Victoria (refreshed every 3 to 5 years);
providing written advice to government on specific infrastructure matters; and
publishing original research on infrastructure-related issues.
The report was the result of 18 months of research by Infrastructure Victoria - the largest of its kind in Australia. It included 22 focus groups, analysis of more than 344,000 properties sold from January 2017 to June 2022 in greater Melbourne, and a survey of over 6000 people from Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat.
The report revealed that one in five households would trade a detached home in a new suburb for a townhouse or apartment for the same price closer to city centres.
Without suitable housing for moderate income households, especially families and first home buyers, in established suburbs, more people are forced to live further away from jobs and infrastructure.
From the report (p4 & p47):
Encouraging more people to live in established suburbs closer to existing infrastructure creates a more compact city with higher population density… Compact cities offer good access to jobs, services, cultural and sports activities and public transport. They can support better health outcomes by encouraging more walking and cycling.
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More housing diversity will help create affordable established area alternatives to greenfield homes. Our research indicates that townhouses are an immediate opportunity to substitute. They fulfil the requirements of many greenfield residents, such as number of bedrooms, secure parking and outdoor space, and they are likely to be more affordable than detached houses in the same area.
A range of policy options for the Victorian Government are outlined in the report included fast-tracking planning approval for high-quality townhouses, better standards for low-rise apartments and changes to developer infrastructure contributions.
Find the report and supporting documents here. Two examples of current and future Hygge projects offering housing choice within established regional suburbs in Geelong and Ballarat below.
Artist impression of townhomes at The Bottleworks in South Geelong - currently under construction.
Artist impression of townhouses at Chisholm Green in Black Hill, Ballarat - currently in planning.