News | 02 March


The Victorian Government announced today the repurposing of the old VicRoads Kew Site, as part of its Housing Statement to free up more government-owned land to build hundreds more homes.

The announcement follows Friday’s release of the long-awaited Plan for Victoria, which enshrines the Housing Statement principles aimed at streamlining state planning processes and addressing critical shortage, supply and affordability issues.

But Civil Contractors Federation Victoria CEO Lisa Kinross said today that civil must not be overlooked in any Housing, planning or land rezoning announcements.

“In these repurposing of old offices, it is vital to assess, rebuild and create the infrastructure and utilities required for thriving communities,” CCF Victoria CEO Lisa Kinross said.

“While we ‘repurpose’, we also need to ‘reassess’ the new infrastructure requirements in existing brownfields and infill areas and build accordingly.”

As part of the Victorian Housing Statement, the Government is exploring opportunities to convert underused office buildings across Melbourne and regional Victoria into homes, with repurposing the old VicRoads Kew site the first step.

Six other government-owned sites to be unlocked include:

  • Surplus education land at 72-84 Belmont West Rd, Croydon South;
  • Surplus health residential land on Grattan St in Carlton;
  • Surplus TAFE carpark land at 377-407 Waterdale Rd, Heidelberg West;
  • Surplus government land at 40 Lavendar Lane in Baxter;
  • Surplus VicTrack land on McLaren St in Bendigo;
  • Surplus VicTrack land at 58 Maurice St in Herne Hill, Geelong.

    Today’s announcement also coincides with the approval of the Officer South Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), in outer southeastern Melbourne, and will open consultation on three further precincts, which are expected to eventually create thousands more homes and jobs as well as new industries and investment.

    Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said the areas were part of the Labor government’s 10-year greenfields plan, which aims to deliver 180,000 new homes over the next decade – Victoria’s longest-ever pipeline of new land for homes and backyards.

    “We want Victorians to have their say on the plan to deliver thousands more homes in growth areas.”

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