Notes from the sector conversation on housing
strategies and residential zones
How to prepare a housing strategy
Monash - Helen King

Think about why you want/need to prepare a housing strategy. What do you want to
achieve?
 Diversity
 Location of higher density
 Improve quality of development
 Address loss of vegetation
 Amenity impacts i.e. housing and industrial interfaces
 Rooming houses

There is no clear scope for councils to follow for a housing strategy other than a bit of
guidance from the Act and the SPPF. Capacity and supply are fundamental as well
changes in demographics

Provide clear objectives for a housing strategy and ensure that these meet cross
Council objectives and State Govt – thrash it out during scoping work.

Consider how you want to develop your housing strategy? Should the housing
strategy be tackled as ‘package’ that includes elements such as land use and
affordable housing or should it just be a land use document?

Developing a locational framework is the first, most fundamental step. Other
elements such as affordability, ESD etc hang off this.

Capacity should be based on 15 years supply to meet expected demand (based on
Victoria in Future –VIF). The Standing Committee for the Residential Zones
suggested that sufficient opportunities above and beyond VIF should be provided as
not all opportunities become available.
Where will the medium density go and achieving diversity
Darebin – Leah Mosel

Challenges between developing and implementing strategy.

Three or so years ago there was hysteria when development exceeded four storeys
now that has changed to six storeys.

Higher density development has gravitated towards public transport corridors.

Darebin has also prepared higher density development guidelines proposed to be
implemented as part of C147 – still awaiting Residential Zones Standing Advisory
Committee report.
Leah’s notes:
‘Where will the medium density go and achieving diversity’
Darebin’s Strategic Housing Work:

Darebin commenced work on its Housing Strategy in 2010. It was prepared in-house
by Strategic Planning and was informed by 4 background papers that were then peer
reviewed by AHURI and used as a basis to prepare overarching goals and themes.
These then formed the basis for extensive pubic consultation in 2012, including online
surveys and targeted events.

The Darebin Housing Strategy (the Strategy) was adopted by Council on 15
September 2014 as part of a suite of supporting and reference documents for Planning
Scheme Amendment C138 (Darebin’s new MSS). This Amendment is currently with
the Minister for Planning awaiting approval. Structured around 6 Goals, the Strategy
identifies 52 prioritised planning actions for Council to undertake to address its housing
needs and challenges.

A key purpose of the Strategy was to inform the application of the new residential
zones in Darebin. In doing so, the Strategy provides greater certainty over the
housing change envisaged across the municipality by identifying a clear hierarchy of
‘Housing Change Areas’ – Substantial, Incremental and Minimal – expressed through
a three-tiered Housing Change Framework. These change areas aim to assist the
housing development market in making choices about where to locate and what
housing outcome is appropriate in these areas

These criteria have been subsequently refined through further residential zones work
as part of Amendments C144 (RZSAC Stage 1 ) and C147 (RZSAC Stage 2).
Where will (Medium) Density go?

Where is density occurring and is it where it ‘should’ go?
o
Darebin is transitioning towards greater proportion of medium density with an
increasing composition of apartment typologies in 4+ storeys, particularly along
strategic tram corridors, in activity centres (See DTPLI housing report).

o
Key Findings from the 2014 DTPLI/DELWP Darebin Housing Report for the
introduction of new residential zones reveals a high proportion of the
municipality’s higher yielding housing projects (10+ new dwellings) occurred
along major transport corridors (High Street, Plenty Road, and St Georges
Road) which is an outcome supported by long standing local land use policy
encouraging higher scales of change in these locations. Also supported by
SPPF.
o
The increase in households living in medium and higher density housing is
reflected in building approvals data which shows a strong shift toward the
approval of apartments and semi-detached dwellings and decline in approvals
for detached housing. – particularly since 2005.
Why is this occurring?
o

A relative success of local and state policy? Perhaps – but also reflects the
underlying land value of the middle ring of municipalities whose proximity to the
city centre and access to infrastructure makes them (now) economically
attractive for redevelopment but whose land use traditionally has been
predominantly low-density residential.
Defining medium density – what is ‘Medium Density’?
o
Commonly characterised as infill development of up to four/five storeys, but is
highly context specific. Medium density in Darebin is not medium density in
Whittlesea.
o
It is a dynamic descriptor – medium-density 8-10yrs ago is different to the
medium density we are seeing now (this is evidenced by some of our urban
renewal precinct and site – moving from townhouses/villa (e.g Gadd St,
Northcote about 8 yrs ago) into apartments now (e.g. Northland).
Comments / Observations:

From the Darebin experience, it is not so much about where to encourage medium
density (as the SPPF and LPPF and other strategic docs provides general guidance
on this) its more about building the local support base for this. That is, working with
Councillor’s and the community to understand the future housing needs, the
environmental constraints of outward growth, the importance of urban consolidation
and the need to deliver more housing in accessible locations  BUIDLING
COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY.

There is a tension between providing direction to the market and certainty to the
community with directing medium density to certain locales – whilst also ensuring the
MSS and LPPF are not overly deterministic and agile enough to maintain currency as
the pace of growth and change accelerate  framing of any housing work and housing
strategy important here.
How to achieve diversity?

Understanding diversity – what is diversity?
o
Diversity of demography and a diversity of housing stock. In our experience,
one does not always follow the other.
o
Whilst we can predict with some ease actual housing needs based on the
functional requirements of various household sizes, the reality is that
households across Australia consume much larger housing than compared to
functional needs. So we must facilitate a diversity of housing types within the
municipality so that Council is in a position to respond to the variety of housing
needs and changing demands by the community.


Why do we need to facilitate housing diversity?
o
A new household should have housing options available that would allow them
to access small, affordable housing as a first home option close to their chosen
employment location and then progress into different types of housing as their
incomes increase.
o
Ideally a suburb would include a range of housing types at a variety of price
points to enable a household to move through their housing career within the
same suburb, or at least within proximity to that suburb.
How do we achieve diversity in an established suburb via infill development?
o
Through ensuring different growth fronts – this is critical to achieving diversity
as it encourages different typologies (e.g. Activity Centres, Transport corridors,
hinterland modest residential infill etc)
o
Also being proactive on identified strategic sites – trying to collaboratively
develop DPOs and other controls with landowners to prescribe more specific
diversity requirements.
Comments / Observations:

The Housing Strategy identified an increasing diversity of household and family types
in Darebin – with a move towards more single person households (driven by young
professional segment and an ageing population and households) – which necessitates
a more diverse range of dwellings than is currently available. Typically it necessitates
smaller dwellings; townhouses, villas, and apartments in select locales.

In Darebin, areas that are ‘gentrifying’ are becoming less diverse in household
composition  therefore implications for housing expectations in these areas and
these are also the locations where density is emerging. How to maintain the mix
through planning?
Creating infill opportunities in rural and regional towns
Greater Bendigo – Andrew Cockerall
How to define character and integrate this in your housing startegy
Whitehorse – Andrea Skraba

Original Neighbourhood Character Study developed in 1996. It established character
types including:



Bush environment
Bush suburban
Garden suburban

Blackburn Lakes was given a special residential zone that included lot sizes and tree
controls.

After the introduction of ResCode, Whitehorse updated the NCS. The NCS outlines
the key values of the community – vegetation featured highly.

Whitehorse sought to use policies to implement new res zones – told NCS and
Housing strategy too old and needed to be updated.

The review of the NCS looked at the high level character categories before
identifying variations within each category to determine the precincts.

A brochure was developed for each precinct outlining the existing character,
preferred character and responses to how the preferred character would be
achieved. There was some criticism that the brochures are too high level.

Correlation between NCS & Change areas? Bush Environment and Bush Suburban
– having space to retain (development ‘hidden’ by landscaping). Translation to the
new zones included:




Minimum lot sizes
Max site coverage
Min permeability
Landscaping (including minimum open space requirements to allow for
growth of trees)

Can / are people subdividing in NRZ before developing (to avoid the max two on a
lot?) Council: Yes (however the proposed min lot size would assist in stopping this).

NCS can be used to help justify level of change.

In the Blackburn Lakes Bush Environment (proposed NRZ1) significant work had
already been undertaken and Council propose to reinstate some provisions from pre
new format planning schemes. For example prior to NFPS Blackburn Lakes had a
special res zone including a 650sqm min lot size. When NFPS were introduced the
ability to provide this was removed. Given the NRZ allows for a min lot size Council
conclude it should be reinstated given the rigorous work had been previously
undertaken to implement – this was demonstrated by various panel reports. The NCS
helped to reinforce this as existing / preferred character.

Need to be careful not to have local policies that are too aspirational.

Increase in private open space, 35sqm in one location, required to assist with
establishment of tree – enough room to grow.

In terms of vegetation Whitehorse has SLOs and local policy which, unfortunately, is
quite often overlooked by VCAT).

The revised NCS is the result of development occurring and the evolution of State
Govt policy / practice notes on NCS.

The review of the NCS used the old precincts but they were updated to reflect new
development and through consultation. Three phases of consultation, phases one
and two included notifying via NACs (guidelines for NACS included in consultation),
community groups, newspapers, online etc... Phase three more targeted with letters
to the mailing list, areas proposed for RGZ, submitters or where ‘substantial’
variations (to previous consultation) had been made.
Tackling affordability
Moreland – Mike Collins

The definition of affordable housing commonly used is where the cost of housing is
greater than 30% of the household income.

Integration within councils is critical – affordability is not just a planning issue or not
just a social policy issue.

Councils need to look for partnerships as there is no official role for councils in the
provision of affordable housing. Port Phillip is the best example of how partnerships
can work.

Need to work with the community to achieve support. There can be conflict.

The things can council do that can attract affordable housing are:

Provision of land – buy or lease. Councils should advocate to be able to issue
99 year leases.

Feasibility studies

Use council land - community development/services on ground level with
affordable housing above

Include exemptions for social housing if social housing suppliers are defined.

Rural and regional council not facing the same pressure but looking at what they can
do. In Swan Hill housing in cheap but there also need to be jobs. Warrnambool has
$20,000 grants toward construction for a particular area.

Fisherman’s Bend – Port Phillip looking to have development rights and floor space
ratios. This approach might come back into fashion. Need to have a baseline though
so mandatory heights are essential.

Targets are often used – Moreland has a 20% for council owned land. Targets need
to be set at a realistic level and you need to be able to influence how you can get to
the target.
Connecting your housing strategy and residential zones
Greater Geelong – Jess Hurse
How to measure whether you are achieving your desired outcomes
Knox – Sarah Lane and Jon Wright

Housing Monitoring Program in place since 2008. It measured quantifiable things
such as size and typology and housing numbers.

The program showed outcomes being achieved as houses where in Activity Centres
and had changed in size. This was useful to aid decisions and in the preparation of a
new strategy.

However, the community were not happy with the outcomes and wanted an
improvement in quality. This led to Knox 2050 and a new strategy for monitoring.
Strategy was adopted in January and with the Minister to be implemented now.

The reporting will also be reframed to be more interesting to the public. It will also be
linked to their GIS.

Capacity studies show low growth however demographic change is driving demand
for more diversity.

The Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN) has detailed
information about housing stress, walkability etc. A licence agreement is required but
there is no cost.

Data is not a limiting factor any more. Build a monitoring program about what you
want to measure otherwise you will get lost.