Train and tram zone activity centre plans encourage more homes to be built in the places they fit best.
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How we plan for more homes in Victoria
Every neighbourhood has its own unique character shaped by its streetscapes, buildings, parks and the way people move through them. Train and tram zone activity centre plans help guide where new homes can go and what kind of homes are most suitable for each area.
These plans include clear planning rules, such as building heights and setbacks, providing certainty for council, communities and developers alike.
We have followed an established process for developing planning controls for each train and tram zone activity centre. This included looking at the existing buildings, how the land is currently used, transport links and infrastructure.
The plans for 10 activity centres that were part of the pilot program were finalised in April 2025. For more information, visit the Activity Centres Pilot Program page.
The plans for the 25 centres in Stage 1 were finalised on 31 March 2026. For more information, visit the Stage 1: Expansion program page.
The plans for the 23 centres in Stage 2 were finalised on 22 July 2026. For more information, visit the Stage 2: Expansion program page.
The majority of train and tram zone activity centre plans include a ‘core’ and a ‘catchment’ area. Some have an ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ catchment area.
Core
Inner catchment
Outer catchment
Various heights between six and 16 storeys in most centres, with potential for taller heights in some places in the larger centres
Up to four storeys, and up to six storeys on blocks larger than 1000m2
Up to three storeys, and up to four storeys on blocks larger than 1000m2
The core is the central part of the train and tram zone activity centre, closest to public transport, jobs and services. This area is best suited to accommodate more homes.
The catchment is the surrounding area within approximately 10 minutes’ walk of the core (around 800 metres).
As you move away from the commercial and community core of the train and tram zone activity centre,the proposed building heights will gradually decrease. This will allow a transition between the activity centre and the surrounding suburb.
New planning tools
There are two new planning tools that support the delivery of more homes in train and tram zone activity centres.
These planning tools make it easier for councils and planning authorities to encourage more homes to be built close to public transport, jobs and services in their own municipalities, helping all levels of government play their part in delivering more homes for Victorians.
A new Built Form Overlay (BFO) has been developed to make planning controls in activity centre ‘cores’ clearer and more consistent across Melbourne.
The overlay sets out design rules to guide:
building heights and setbacks from the street between neighbours
overshadowing (sun protection requirements)
street activation, pedestrian connectivity and weather protection
what master plans for larger sites should include , for example: tree retention, how people can walk through the site, car and bike parking and access, and improvements to public areas
landscaping requirements
sustainable design assessment requiremens and other planning considerations.
The new Housing Choice and Transport Zone (HCTZ) has been developed to enable a diversity of housing in the catchments, and other well-serviced locations with convenient access to public transport, jobs and services.
Catchment areas are great places for the types of townhouses and smaller apartment buildings these reforms are designed to support.
Find out more about what standards residential development in the HCTZ should meet to ensure good design including overshadowing, setbacks and tree planting:
A new streamlined process for planning applications for good quality developments in train and tram zone activity centre cores has been implemented.
Under this new process, if an application meets the 'deemed to comply' standards within the BFO, it cannot be refused a permit on the basis of those standards.
In addition, applications for most new buildings within the BFO are not subject to a public notice period. This means council does not need to notify nearby landowners about the planning application, or consider objections. If notice and review is required under another part of the planning scheme, those provisions will continue to apply.
This approach to notice and review provisions is not new - in other key parts of Victoria such as within the Capital City Zone in Melbourne, Central Geelong and many other commercial zones and activity centres, exemptions from notice and review also exist.
Benefits of a streamlined application process
A faster planning process does not mean a poorer outcome or that the community does not have a say.
The streamlined process is designed to improve investment conditions and get more homes built faster via:
faster application processing
greater certainty about application outcomes
time and money saved in holding costs
reducing costly VCAT hearings.
In most cases, your local council will remain the responsible authority for assessing whether a proposal is acceptable and will be able to review the proposed design of the development to ensure the design is of a high standard and will not unnecessarily affect neighbouring properties.
Objecting to or appealing an application in the core
Councils will remain the responsible authority for planning applications and permits in most cases.
The new Built Form Overlay (BFO) streamlines planning controls in the ‘cores’ and sets out ‘deemed to comply’ building heights and design rules. It also applies a new streamlined planning pathway to allow more homes to be built faster.
In the core, under the Built Form Overlay (BFO), there will likely be no third-party notice and review related to matters such as heights and setbacks (however, there are often other triggers for notice in the planning scheme).
The responsible authority (usually the council) will still consider relevant building design matters in granting a permit. This includes having regard to the relevant council’s planning scheme, including local policy, and any other relevant applicable provisions.
Objecting to or appealing an application in the catchment
In residential catchment areas, such as where the Housing Choice and Transport Zone (HCTZ) has been applied, notice and review requirements are dependent on the provisions of the residential development codes. In most cases, notice requirements remain.
These new planning tools make it easier for councils to encourage more homes to be built close to public transport, jobs and services in their own municipalities, helping all levels of government to play their part in delivering more homes for Victorians.
For developments that involve two or more dwellings on a lot up to three storeys, the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code applies. For development of two or more dwellings on a lot between four to six storeys, the Mid-Rise Code applies.
These codes require developers to meet a range of requirements such as street setbacks, tree canopy, front fences, access and coverage. They also include a streamlined 'deemed to comply' planning pathway for compliant developments. This allows faster permits and greater certainty for residential development as long as they meet the standards.
We’re introducing a simpler and more flexible infrastructure funding system, to help deliver the things that train and tram zone activity centres will need into the future.
The funding model, called infrastructure contributions plans (ICPs) is proposed to help deliver the essential infrastructure each centre needs to thrive, such as community services, education and transport infrastructure.
Flood risk is generally not a barrier to building more homes. Except for in very high hazard areas, development of new housing can still occur and will be informed by better guidance on how to design and plan flood-resilient development.
In line with the Plan for Victoria, we’re already working with the relevant authorities to prepare new guidance on how to appropriately build in areas subject to flooding. As part of this, Melbourne Water is updating its flood modelling to provide more in-depth information about known hazards. When finalised, this new flood modelling information will be used by councils in conjunction with activity centre controls when approving permits for housing in areas subject to flooding.
New flood risk ratings and better flood risk information will help landowners and industry understand what housing can be built where and how.
Public consultation
Throughout 2025 and early 2026, we consulted with local residents on the below 48 train and train and tram zone activity centres, which were grouped into Stages 1 and 2:
Stage 1
Station/Train and tram zone activity centre
Local Government Area (LGA)
Hight Street (Thornbury), St Georges Road (Thornbury)
Darebin
Heidelberg
Banyule
Middle Footscray (including Seddon), West Footscray, Tottenham (Braybrook - Central West)
South Yarra, Toorak, Hawksburn, Prahran, Windsor, Armadale, Malvern, Toorak Village
Stonnington
Blackburn, Nunawading, Mitcham
Whitehorse
Consultation phases
There were two phases of consultation for each stage.
In Phase 1, we shared program information and invited you to tell us about the places you love locally.
Phase 1 consultation for centres in Stage 1 took place in May and June 2025.
Phase 1 consultation for centres in Stage 2 took place in October and November 2025.
In Phase 2, we returned to show local communities draft maps to assist in our planning. We wanted to know if we got the details right, or if there was anything that we missed.
Phase 2 consultation for centres in Stage 1 took place in September to October 2025.
Phase 2 consultation for centres in Stage 2 took place in February to March 2026.
After Phase 2 consultation, we finalise our plans (subject to approval by the Minister for Planning) and report back.
This process has now finished with plans for Stage 1 finalised on 31 March 2026, and plans for Stage 2 finalised on 22 July 2026.
