Glenferrie

Reference

current

Published: March 2026

Last updated: 08 March 2026

The vision for Glenferrie

The following vision for Glenferrie train and tram zone activity centre is built from the Statement of Advice prepared by a Community Reference Group (CRG) made up of local residents.

Glenferrie is a lively hub of learning, community and commerce. Heritage buildings sit comfortably alongside contemporary architecture, and its bustling streets bring together students, residents and visitors.

With its public spaces, cultural destinations and education anchors, Glenferrie will continue to evolve as a vibrant, well‑connected precinct that blends the old and the new while supporting future growth.

I hope that neighbourhood character can be retained by building new apartments inspired by and synergistic with the architecture along Glenferrie Road.

Glenferrie community member

What we understand about place and how we’ve addressed it

Community members see the Glenferrie activity centre as a vibrant and energetic centre shaped by its proximity to Swinburne University and mix of heritage buildings and contemporary designs.

The Community Reference Group noted how important heritage shops and facades, open spaces such as Glenferrie Oval and Central Gardens, and contemporary buildings that provide places for cafes and entertainment venues are for Glenferrie.

That’s why we have planned to protect sun access to open spaces in the core and along the Heritage Main Street and Non-heritage Main Street typologies sections of Glenferrie Road and Burwood Road.

Hawthorn, Glenferrie, Auburn and Kew Junction core and catchment map

A graphical representation of the scale of density within activity centre areas. — Scale of density from core to the outer catchment

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

Glenferrie core and catchment explained

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, we expect that the building heights will gradually decrease. This will allow a transition between the activity centre and the surrounding suburb.

In Glenferrie, the outer catchment extends north towards Kew Junction. The inner catchment follows the tram line south along Glenferrie Road and east–west along the south of Burwood Road. It also extends between Park Street and Liddiard Street to the north.

What we are doing for your community

As part of our work, we've:

applied active frontages along the railway to increase activity and promote safety with more ‘eyes on the street
applied landscape setbacks in locations such as Kent Street to preserve and encourage tree canopy coverage and create further setbacks from the nearby residential area
ensured that community facilities such as Glenferrie Oval and the Hawthorn Aquatic and Leisure Centre will have high solar protection
designated Glenferrie and Burwood roads as key pedestrian streets with higher sun access protection to ensure the streets remain vibrant and active
ensured that important areas of open spaces identified by the community such as the Library Reserve have moderate solar protection.

Refer to the following plans:

Plan 5: Glenferrie typology, activation and setbacks
Plan 6: Glenferrie building heights and sun protection

Plans

The built form outcomes and building heights for the activity centre core are set out on the following plans:

Plan 5 (above): Glenferrie typology, activation and setbacks (Note: Typology refers to a building type that is suitable for a particular set of lot types and locations. Street activation requires new buildings to provide open and inviting shopfronts to encourage lively and safe streets. A setback is the minimum distance a building must be placed away from a property boundary, road, or natural feature.)

Plan 6 (above): Glenferrie building heights and sun protection

The plans support the right types of homes being built in the places they fit best. These are some of the kinds of homes you might see more of in the future.