Victorian Planning Authority (VPA)
Who are the VPA?
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is a State Government statutory authority that reports to the Minister for Planning. The VPA will assist the implementation of the initiatives articulated in the long-term planning blueprint for our capital city, Plan Melbourne 2017-2050.
Victoria's Housing Statement
In September 2023, the Victorian Government released Victoria’s Housing Statement: The decade ahead 2024-2034, setting a target to build 800,000 homes in Victoria over the next decade. Find out more about Victoria’s Housing Statement at vic.gov.au/housing-statement.
Activity Centre Program
The Activity Centre Program is a part of the Housing Statement. It will create clear new rules for 10 initial activity centres around Melbourne to encourage the development of 60,000 new homes.
The 10 activity centres in the Activity Centres Program are a mix of neighbourhoods in the middle and outer suburbs of Melbourne. The Victorian Government chose them because they are great locations for more housing, have good transport connections and will benefit from State Government involvement to create clearer rules to increase housing choice.
Ringwood is one of these 10 activity centres, along with Broadmeadows, Camberwell Junction, Chadstone, Epping, Frankston, Moorabbin, Niddrie (Keilor Road), North Essendon, and Preston (High Street).
Find out more about the Activity Centre Program on the Department of Transport and Planning website.
Maroondah City Council Submission to the Ringwood Activity Centre Program
In September 2024, Maroondah City Council provided the Victorian Government with a submission to the Ringwood Activity Centre Program. Council is generally supportive of the changes to the Ringwood Activity Centre Masterplan however has serious reservations about the proposed 800 metre walkable catchment area designated for developments of up to six storeys outside of the activity centre catchment.
Council's detailed analysis, combined with strong community feedback, indicates that a wholesale change to the type of development permitted within the Ringwood Activity Centre’s catchment has many unintended consequences and is not required in order to achieve the dwelling numbers sought by Victorian Government. Council believes these proposed changes would result in a significant detrimental impact to Maroondah’s environment and resident wellbeing.
By way of background, given the short time frame for consultation and the commencement of the Election ‘Caretaker’ Period prior to Council elections, there has not been sufficient time to prepare a submission to present to Council for formal endorsement. Instead, a summary Council report was tabled at the Council Meeting of 16 September 2024. At that meeting the following was resolved: 1. Council notes the information provided in this report in relation to the proposed changes to the Ringwood Metropolitan Activity Centre Masterplan and surrounding catchment 2. Council authorises the Chief Executive Officer to lodge a submission to State Government on behalf of Council in accordance with the matters raised in this report.
Draft Ringwood Activity Centre Plan Submission(PDF, 8MB)
Ringwood Metropolitan Activity Centre (RMAC)
You can read more about the scope and vision for the RMAC by visiting this page: Ringwood Metropolitan Activity Centre.