The City of Stonnington is deeply disappointed by the State government’s decision to publish final maps for its Stage 2 Train and Tram Activity Centres Program on Friday 26 June, without notice to Council.
The new maps have not changed significantly or meaningfully from the consultation maps, showing that consultation with Council and the community was not genuine. This is unacceptable for decisions of this magnitude.
Stonnington has a direct and significant stake in the Activity Centres program, with 15 of the 60 identified activity centres located within the municipality, and another 3 centres whose broader catchments impact Stonnington. Stage 2 Activity Centres that affect Stonnington include: South Yarra to Windsor (including Prahran), Hawksburn to Malvern and Toorak Village, and Caulfield (Malvern East).
Stonnington has already done the strategic work to support population growth. Our award-winning structure plans and strategies, developed through extensive community consultation, to establish height controls for all of these commercial centres and residential areas, demonstrate that Stonnington can accommodate an additional 67,000 dwellings by 2051.
This exceeds the State Government’s own target of 50,000 new homes for our municipality, without compromising the heritage significance and character of our historic streetscapes, reducing sunlight to streets and parks, or diminishing residential amenity.
The State Government’s approach bypasses that work entirely.
Council is calling on the State Government to urgently work with local councils to refine the program and ensure better alignment with existing planning and community wishes, and to clarify several inconsistencies including the application of zoning on heritage areas.
While Council’s advocacy has led to some positive changes, significant concerns remain. Positive changes include:
More heritage areas have been shifted into lower-scale zones with height limits generally reduced to 3-4 storeys
Additional streets will now have sunlight protections, including Grattan Street, Greville Street and Carlton Streets in Prahran, parts of Mathoura Road in Toorak, Beatty Avenue and part of Rose Street in Armadale and parts of Winter Street, Union Street, Station Street and Claremont Street in Malvern.
Building heights have been reduced in a small number of locations. Examples include:
A section of Station Street and Claremont Avenue, Malvern (from 8 storeys to 6 storeys)
East of Grattan Gardens, west of Izett Street (from 12 storeys to Council height of 5 storeys)
Section of River Street; 72 River Street – 98 River Street South Yarra (from 8 storeys to 6 storeys)
However, there are also areas where building heights have increased compared to earlier proposals, without clear rationale or explanation. These include:
The Tok H site in Toorak Village, increasing from 10 to 16 storeys
Scattered sites in several centres:
Toorak Village (from 8 to10 storeys)
Toorak Road South Yarra (from 6 to 8 storeys and from 8 to 12 storeys)
Hawksburn Village (from 8 to 10 storeys)
Prahran (from 5 to 6 storeys and 8 to 10 storeys)
Whilst site specific changes have occurred, there have been no broad changes to heights within activity centre cores. It is disappointing that significant Council and community concerns relating to heritage and character impacts, sustainability and urban greening, design quality, affordable housing, economic development and infrastructure have not been sufficiently addressed.
Mayor Cr Melina Sehr said it is deeply disappointing that the State Government has chosen to move ahead without meaningful community consultation.
“Our community deserved a real say in the future of their neighbourhoods, but this decision has sidelined both Council and residents who have engaged in good faith planning,” said Cr Sehr.
“We support more homes near transport, but they must be well planned and reflect local context. A one-size-fits-all approach imposed by Spring Street risks poorer outcomes.”
“Our neighbourhoods’ heritage, character and high-quality public realm define Stonnington, and our planning framework protects these while still allowing substantial growth.”
“As the level of government closest to the community, Council is best placed to plan for housing growth in Stonnington.”
The Mayor said this is also a missed opportunity for genuine partnership between state and local government.
“Councils like ours are already doing the heavy lifting. We stand ready to work constructively with the State, but this process should have built on the shared expertise of councils and communities, who have been overlooked and set aside.”
