Government plans to unlock land for 500 new homes in Melbourne’s Kew

The Victorian Government has announced plans to convert a former VicRoads site in Kew into a residential and commercial development, potentially creating more than 500 new homes.

Minister for Precincts Colin Brooks said: “The status quo isn’t an option. We’re pulling every lever at our disposal to build more homes – that includes unlocking vacant government land to give more Victorians the opportunity to find a home in areas that are well serviced by jobs, transport and services.”

The government is proposing to rezone the Denmark Street site from a Transport Zone to a mix of Commercial and General Residential zones.

This change would allow for future redevelopment of the site for both residential and commercial purposes.

Brooks noted: “The former VicRoads site in Kew presents a unique opportunity to deliver hundreds more homes in a popular suburb and we want to hear from the community about the types of homes they want to see.”

The site’s proximity to schools, shops, tram stops and the Kew Junction activity centre makes it an attractive location for new housing.

As part of the government’s Housing Statement, at least 10 percent of dwellings on this and similar sites will be designated as affordable homes.

This initiative is part of a broader plan to deliver around 9,000 homes across 45 sites in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria by unlocking and rezoning surplus government land.

The announcement follows the recent launch of the Small Sites Pilot program, which aims to deliver approximately 260 homes across sites in Preston, Coburg, Alphington, and Malvern.

Public consultation on the draft planning scheme amendment for the Kew site is open until 16 August 2024.

The government is encouraging community feedback on the types of homes residents would like to see developed on the site.

More information about the proposal and how to provide feedback is available on the government’s engagement website.