From July to August 2023, we consulted with the community on our Housing Discussion Paper.

We received over 350 contributions through an online survey, youth survey, email/mail submissions and in-person engagement activities, ranging from workshops, walking tours and pop-up sessions, at various locations across Banyule.

Your feedback was important to refine the direction of the Housing and Neighbourhood Character Strategies.

Click here to see an overview of the engagement findings.

What you told us

What you told us about the key themes for each of the three pillars include:

  • Pillar 1 -
    Driving housing for all

    • Support for diverse housing and innovative housing delivery options
    • Divided views on high density housing
    • Concern about housing affordability.
  • Pillar 2 -
    Elevating good design

    • Support for accessible and environmentally sustainable design and quality design measures
    • Preference for clear design provisions for setbacks and active frontage to the street
    • Concern about the potential adverse impacts of medium and high density development.
  • Pillar 3 -
    Valuing preferred neighbourhood character

    • Enhance local identity
    • Manage the pace of change and development
    • Stronger protection of neighbourhood character
    • Maintain and enhance vegetation and canopy cover.

Housing Discussion Paper

The Housing Discussion Paper was developed to support your participation in the development of our Housing and Neighbourhood Character Strategies. It tells a story about Banyule's housing journey so far, and where we want to go to be well-placed to respond to the needs of our existing and future community.

We asked for your feedback on the Discussion Paper from Juley to August 2023. It considered:

The Housing Discussion Paper was organised under three 'Pillars' that identified the priorities of our housing discussion:

  • Driving housing for all: we are an inclusive community that plans for housing for all ages, incomes, abilities and preferences
  • Elevating good design: we are committed to facilitating high quality places through sustainable, accessible and quality deign
  • Valuing preferred neighbourhood character: we have unique urban characters across the municipality, that we want to enhance and protect for current and future generations.

The pillars will continue to work together to guide Banyule's approach to housing. No Pillar is more important than another.

Background and context

It's been 10 years since Banyule’s Housing and Neighbourhood Character Strategies were developed.

Since then, our population has grown and our households have become more diverse. Melbourne is being reshaped by major infrastructure projects and our understanding of social and environmental sustainability has transformed.

We now need to update our Housing and Neighbourhood Character Strategies and plan for Banyule's changing housing needs.

Affordability, housing choice, rental housing, social connectivity and sustainability are important considerations, and we need to revisit how we balance the need for housing growth and diversity, while respecting neighbourhood character and the liveability of our suburbs.

The review of our Housing and Neighbourhood Character Strategies is a significant piece of work that is taking place over a number of years, and will include extensive community engagement at each stage.

Preliminary Discussion Paper

What we did

From May to June 2022, we consulted with the community on the Preliminary Discussion Paper to find out what's important to them about where and how they live and what the future needs of the community might be.

During this time 366 people provided feedback through an online survey , with over 1,800 visits to the Shaping Banyule project page. Your feedback helped to inform the development of a detailed Housing Discussion Paper .

What you told us

The key themes for housing were:

The key themes for neighbourhood character were:

View the findings report here.

The Preliminary Discussion Paper and feedback received were needed to start a conversation and consider how the housing and policy landscape has changed since 2009.

It was important to go on this journey together to consider whether our housing aims are being achieved, and how we can adapt our thinking and approach to our current needs.

We have taken your feedback and analysed the population data and housing trends to present you with the facts, scenarios, and options for how to proceed in Banyule’s housing and neighbourhood character journey.

Project stages

There are three key ways to get involved:

The preliminary discussion paper was available for review with an opportunity to share your thoughts with us by completing an online survey. The feedback provided helped to inform the topics in the Stage 2 Housing Discussion Paper, which is a more detailed document.

The survey for stage 1 has now closed. View the survey results.

This paper will present analysis on the important housing issues in Banyule and opportunities to address housing challenges for our residents.

Extensive consultation will be conducted to ensure all sectors of our community are involved. Feedback will help to inform the Draft Housing Strategy.

The survey for stage 2 has now closed. View the survey results.

Two separate draft strategies will be developed next year. These include:

  • The draft Housing Strategy – outlining Council’s long-term plan to manage future housing growth and change so that it best meets the ongoing needs of the community.
  • The draft Neighbourhood Character Strategy – this will be prepared alongside the Draft Housing Strategy. It will identify the important features and key issues of each neighbourhood. It will provide strategic direction to guide future development.

Both will be informed by the consultation done in stages 1 and 2 of the Housing and Neighbourhood Character Review.

It will include extensive community consultation through a variety of face to face and online settings that will ensure all sectors of our community are involved.

The final strategies will include recommendations for changes to the Banyule Planning Scheme. Further consultation will be planned as part of any future Planning Scheme Amendment process.