Suburbs across Victoria are facing changes to their facade as election battle lines are drawn
Residents in Melbourne are protesting new state planning laws that allow for high-density apartment developments in suburban areas. The 'deemed to comply' rules limit the ability of locals to object to projects that meet government standards, becoming a key issue in the upcoming election.
Why it matters
The tension between urban densification to address housing shortages and the preservation of neighborhood character is a major political flashpoint in Australian cities.
Under new planning laws, a developer intends to demolish five single-storey units and build a six-storey block of apartments in this street. ( ABC News )
Link copied Share Share article Residents of a leafy Melbourne street are getting a glimpse of what the future could hold for their neighbourhood, and it's a dramatic departure from the low-rise streetscape they know.
In Armadale, in the Liberal-held electorate of Malvern, plans have been lodged with the council for a six-storey development on Mercer Road, about 900 metres away from the train station.
The developer intends to demolish five single-storey units and build a six-storey block of apartments. If approved, there would be 29 two-three bedroom apartments and two levels of underground parking.
A render of an apartment development that is proposed for Armadale. ( Supplied )
Dave Corrigan lives in an apartment across the road and described the plan as outrageous.
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