BREAKING NEWS: Unlimited dwellings, minimum garden space in residential zones (Melbourne)

Discussion in 'Development' started by KateAshmor, 11th Mar, 2017.

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  1. km1974

    km1974 Well-Known Member

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    I've read the online announcement, etc. but not much info there.

    I'd think it could be to stop building of 3-4 units/townhouses which don't have POS on the ground, and do it on the upstairs balcony.

    It is a very good political article, very vague with some good buzz words which has left us all in a tail spin.
     
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  2. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    I'd build as many self contained studios I could cram ;)
     
  3. melbournian

    melbournian Well-Known Member

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    650sqm would mean more garden space sqm and less building site sqm.
    Had a read through the plan 2017-2050 it has very high level strategy on plans and focusses a lot of the 20 minutes travel network neighbourhood.

    there are some mention on the neighbourhood with no cap dwelling. What this effectively means is it has rezoned just about every neighbourhood zone in melbourne to higher density. previously places like kew, balwyn and even preston, reservoir had only 1 unit or some cap size of dwelling. this would mean say for e.g. 750sqm site could be subdivided into 3 in say kew when previously it had a cap limit of 450sqm per dwelling. There will be a lot of uproar from community action groups esp those who oppose development. and those villa units and townhouses in those premium suburbs would be more affected as i remember some 2 bed villa unit was 1+ million due to the fact that it was in a prime schooling zone and also neighbourhood zone area. now with is changing, the supply of units, townhouses would increase hence the supply will be more. with the stamp duty on FHB and these changes, expect a lot of jump in prices in melbourne for these certain areas. developers would now have more sites to buy and will pay more for these sites from when it was previously capped.
     
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  4. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    I've currently got a place in Essendon on 715sq and could get 3 townhouses on it. With these new rules I might not be able to get the same size dwellings on it if I need 35% garden space. Smaller dwelling size = less profit unless the new rules allow to go higher.

    This strategy plan 2017-2050 indicate maps and streets and new rules for garden space? If so could you post a link please.
     
  5. Connor

    Connor Well-Known Member

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    Exactly what I was thinking.. Especially when you take into account that you still have to comply with setbacks, car spaces etc. Also it's still unclear what is defined as a garden area.
    And then you'd need still need to take into consideration neighborhood character.

    So while there is no limit to dwellings on a lot, depending on the final interpretation of this new regulation, it could actually mean less dwellings allowed on certain blocks.

    But certainly in areas with traditionally large blocks and restricted density, this certainly opens up some opportunity.
     
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  6. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    We think alike. It's to early to know now, but I'm sure what ever the new proposals are will directly benefit government.
     
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  7. melbournian

    melbournian Well-Known Member

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    It does say increasing heights in the general residential zone so that maybe a part of it.

    It was like some PowerPoint acrobat document google it online

    However, It may mean less for the standard general res zone and more openings of devs in neighbourhood residential zones u have some blocks in Kew or Balwyn or mont Albert with only one dwelling on 800sqm which was restricted now it could be 2 or 3

    There is no mention on activity zone centres or growth residential zones still very high level if u ask me and would be hard to know without any more detail
     
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  8. sash

    sash Well-Known Member

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    Awesome my smart lot developments just went through the roof the small lots have minimum of 25m of POS for the backyard.

    If they say you need to have 25% for backyards. for 400sqm blocks the foot print of the home is going to reduce significantly. Most 400sqm blocks are 12.5m by 32..if you have to set aside 100sqm...that means the 8 from the back of the house and allowing 5m for garage setback. You have about 11.25m by 19m for a home. which will limit a lot of homes to 23sq homes. Most of mine are 17sq.

    On that basis ...the smaller homes maybe more in demand compared to price point. Add to that more baby boomers...and you are cooking with oil.

     
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  9. melbournian

    melbournian Well-Known Member

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    Very true All the sub 400sqm blocks and neighbourhood residential zones are the winners in terms of increased demand and most likely price growth
     
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  10. sash

    sash Well-Known Member

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    Yes...particularly the stuff which has the small lot code development..... ;)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 13th Mar, 2017
  11. Connor

    Connor Well-Known Member

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    Yep, anything under small lot code will see an increase in demand. With decreased setbacks, smaller POS requirements, boundary to boundary possible....you wont be that far off from a max sized dwelling on a 400sqm block.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 13th Mar, 2017
  12. sash

    sash Well-Known Member

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    Yes...the value of larger lots may not increase....lot more profit on smaller lots...
     
  13. melbournian

    melbournian Well-Known Member

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    They talked more on neighbour res zone and general res zone but nothing on the growth zones or activity centre zones

    But lots that were unable to be developed the 600-900sqm due to a capped dwelling sizes example 450sqm would now be in demand. For example a house in Kew that could really only have 1 dwelling can have 2 now. This ruling by the minister has basically made every neighbourhood zone much more $$$.
     
  14. sash

    sash Well-Known Member

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    Yes very true....but they have to get past the NIMBY's from challenging in the courts...
     
  15. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    Next some minister will be exposed for leaking information to a PC member :p
     
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  16. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    ...so under this ruling, do you think it would be possible to execute my strategy of building a few studios on the lot rather than 2 houses, in a street devoid of apartment blocks??
     
  17. Tattler

    Tattler Well-Known Member

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    After reading this, I have some questions which I would like to hear opinions here ...:

    - Does this new State regulation override council regulations? Or it complements it? Does council have a right to override this new regulation?

    - Is it better to buy a house on 399sqm than say 401 sqm land as anything less than 400sqm is not restricted by the garden size rule?

    - Given that just about all GRZ become developable, does it mean distance to city (and also closeness to train station) becomes even more important now? Afterall, why would any developers want to buy large land far away, when there are so many blocks become available now?

    - Would all those largish block (in say Sunshine or Reservoir etc) will now drop in price due to the new regulation, and developers are more restricted on how many townhouses they can "squeeze" from those blocks? Those blocks were actually quite hot over last 12 months.
     
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  18. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    It's a little to early to say as we need to read the fine print. Distance to cbd has always been important regardless of new rules. Stay tuned as I'm sure we will know more this week coming.
     
  19. Connor

    Connor Well-Known Member

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    The more I think about these new regulations, the more I think it will limit some new developments in GRZ areas.

    For example its looking like a 650-700sqm block where you could easily fit 3 double story townhouses in a GRZ you may now be restricted to just 2. Or a retain and build where you can fit a single story dwelling behind the original, you will be forced to build a double.

    No doubt if you recently purchased a site, either of these will throw your original feasibility numbers out the window and leave you in very negative territory.

    Very interested to see this plan in more detail.
     
  20. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Yeah it's an interesting one. The purpose is to allow additional dwellings to be built closer to cbd instead of building much further out, yet allowing space in back yards.
    I wonder if there's more bigger blocks in Kew/Balwyn etc throughout Melbourne 20km radius, that might now be allowed to fit say 2 dwellings on it under new rules, compared to current grz blocks that would allow a 3 town house build which may now only be allowed 2. Because if there's more grz blocks that might help slow supply and help keep prices high as your now building 2 instead of 3 or 4 previously. Areas such as Essendon/moonee ponds/airportwest/Avondale heights/east Keillor etc etc which I've followed might mean less dwellings under new rules.

    Limit supply and keep prices high for land tax purposes, that's the only take I can see from governments policy until we hear further. I know it has nothing to do with keeping backyards.
     

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