Maribrynong Housing Strategy & Neighbourhood Character Review
Developing a new housing strategy
The challenge
Maribyrnong is facing significant residential growth—with an expected population increase of 60,000 people over the next 30 years, requiring around 30,000 new homes. As one of the last relatively affordable inner-city areas, the city is under increasing pressure to accommodate growth while protecting the unique neighbourhood character and ensuring housing is inclusive, diverse and well-located.
Council identified the need for an updated Housing Strategy and Neighbourhood Character Review to guide future residential development, manage housing affordability challenges, and align with new Victorian Government planning frameworks. The project required a bold and balanced approach—one that could respond to complex housing needs while preserving what makes Maribyrnong’s neighbourhoods great places to live.
What we did
To date, our approach has involved:
- Developing a staged work program aligned with Council’s strategic vision and policy context.
- Undertaking a Housing Needs Analysis, including demographic profiling, market and land supply analysis, and housing stress assessment.
- Conducting a Neighbourhood Character Review to refresh and align precincts, assess development quality, and review the impacts of recent planning decisions.
- Preparing a Social and Affordable Housing Study to identify gaps, priority cohorts, opportunity sites, and innovative delivery models.
- Integrating new policy directions including the Victorian Housing Statement, Planning Practice Notes 90 & 91, and the Urban ForestStrategy.
- Embedding inclusive planning principles throughout the project, with a strong emphasis on community engagement, equity and place-based analysis.
Outcomes
The project will deliver a refreshed and future-ready Housing Strategy and Neighbourhood Character framework for Maribyrnong. It will enable Council to better plan for housing diversity, affordability and sustainability, while providing a robust foundation for future planning scheme amendments. The proposed approach ensures alignment with State policy, supports transparent decision-making, and builds community trust through inclusive engagement and clear implementation pathways.
