title: Plan for Victoria — Ballarat Housing Targets (46,900 dwellings) council: ballarat state: vic category: strategy classification: MAJOR status: active last_compiled: 2026-04-16 source_docs:
- ballarat-igaf.txt
- ballarat-igaf-003-.txt
- vpa-ballarat-north-psp-draft-amendment-c256ball-explanatory-report-public-consultation.txt
- vpa-ballarat-north-psp-background-report-for-public-consultation-september-2025.txt
- vpa-draft-amendment-c256ball-11_01-public-consultation.txt
- housing-strategy-2041.txt
- ballarat-infill-uptake-analysis-sgs-2024.txt
- ballarat-growth-areas-framework-plan-2024.txt
- growth-areas-framework-plan-western-and-north-western-growth-areas_august-2024.txt
- ballarat.-now-and-into-the-future-enabling-growth-2025-information-pack_0.txt
- ballarat-west-growth-area-housing-and-growth-enabling-infrastructure-bnif.txt
- 14-august-2024-planning-delegated-committee-meeting-agenda-with-attachments.txt
- 28-may-2025-council-meeting-minutes.txt
- vpa-ballarat-north-psp-draft-amendment-c256ball-submission-53-redacted.txt
- vpa-ballarat-north-psp-draft-amendment-c256ball-submission-58-redacted.txt
- vpa-ballarat-north-psp-draft-amendment-c256ball-submission-62-redacted.txt
- vpa-ballarat-north-psp-affordable-housing-needs-assessment-vpa-july-2025.txt
Plan for Victoria — Ballarat Housing Targets (46,900 dwellings)
Plan for Victoria, released in final form in February 2025 and embedded into the Victoria Planning Provisions through Amendment VC283, fixes a statutory housing target of 46,900 net new dwellings for the City of Ballarat between 2023 and 2051, split 60 per cent into established areas (28,000 dwellings) and 40 per cent into greenfield (18,900 dwellings) (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt; vpa-ballarat-north-psp-draft-amendment-c256ball-explanatory-report-public-consultation.txt). This is not an aspirational number: the target is reproduced verbatim at Clause 16.01-1S of the Ballarat Planning Scheme, it is cited as the anchoring justification for the Ballarat North PSP (Amendment C256ball), it triggers a statewide Ministerial Direction 18 review of every subsequent Ballarat rezoning against the Ballarat Infrastructure and Growth Alignment Framework (IGAF), and it inverts the council’s own historical 70 per cent greenfield / 30 per cent infill settlement pattern. The Plan effectively converts a policy aspiration for a compact city into a measurable, reportable obligation whose delivery reshapes every downstream planning decision in Ballarat through 2051.
This page analyses (a) how the 46,900 figure was derived and the methodology dispute over it, (b) the gap between the target and Ballarat’s recent delivery rate, (c) the capacity arithmetic showing where the 46,900 dwellings are supposed to come from, precinct-by-precinct, (d) the infrastructure bindings — sewer, water, transport — that either enable or block each component, (e) the staging and sequencing regime imposed by the IGAF (the enforcement arm of the Plan inside Ballarat), (f) the council’s formal submission in response (14 August 2024) and the subsequent shift in council position through to April 2026, (g) the contested issues that now sit before the Ballarat North PSP Panel and the wider Ballarat planning system, and (h) the second-order effects on every other Ballarat planning instrument — Housing Strategy 2041, Growth Areas Framework Plan, Neighbourhood Character Study, Infill Housing Framework, Urban Renewal program.
Background
Origin of the 46,900 figure
The 46,900 dwelling target did not appear in a single document. It was generated through a sequential process that spans two years of state policy development:
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September 2023 — Victoria’s Housing Statement: The decade ahead 2024–2034. The Victorian Government published the Housing Statement, which set a statewide target of 800,000 new homes over ten years (i.e. 80,000 dwellings per year) and flagged that the then-Plan Melbourne 2017–2050 would be updated into a “whole-of-Victoria” plan. The Housing Statement nominated 21 priority projects; two of these are in Ballarat — the Ballarat IGAF and the Ballarat North PSP (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.iii; 14-august-2024-planning-delegated-committee-meeting-agenda-with-attachments.txt, clause 57603). The Housing Statement also introduced new streamlined assessment pathways (Clauses 53.22 and 53.23 of the VPP via Amendments VC242 and VC243) giving the Minister for Planning decision-making authority over “significant residential development with affordable housing” — a policy lever subsequently used to justify the accelerated pathway for the Ballarat North PSP (Source: housing-strategy-2041.txt, p.22).
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February 2024 — First consultation on Plan for Victoria. The Victorian Government commenced Stage 1 consultation. The announcement flagged three headline commitments: (a) 70 per cent of new homes to be built in established areas and 30 per cent in growth areas statewide, (b) establishment of local government area housing targets, and (c) a focus on homes near transport, jobs and services (Source: 14-august-2024-planning-delegated-committee-meeting-agenda-with-attachments.txt, clause 57611). Note that the headline 70/30 split at state level is more ambitious than the 60/40 applied to Ballarat as a Major Regional City — reflecting a policy acknowledgement that regional cities cannot absorb metropolitan-level infill intensity. This distinction matters: Ballarat’s 60/40 target is not a “relaxation” of the state target but an explicit calibration to the regional city typology.
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June 2024 — Draft local government housing targets released. The Victorian Government released 79 council-specific dwelling targets without individual consultation with councils. The City of Ballarat’s draft target was set at 46,900 additional dwellings to 2051, averaging approximately 1,700 dwellings per year (the round figure published in council reports; the exact derived rate is 1,675 dwellings per year) (Source: 14-august-2024-planning-delegated-committee-meeting-agenda-with-attachments.txt, clause 57623–57624). The state published its general methodology as having been calculated based on: an area’s proximity to jobs and services; level of access to existing and planned public transport; environmental hazards such as flood and bushfire risk; current development trends and places already identified for more homes; and demonstrated development potential in established regional cities in Victoria (Source: housing-strategy-2041.txt, p.22; ballarat-infill-uptake-analysis-sgs-2024.txt, p.22). However, the weighting of these factors and the geographic distribution methodology have not been published in a form that permits reverse-engineering — a gap the Ballarat submission specifically contests.
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14 August 2024 — City of Ballarat submission. The Planning Delegated Committee adopted a 10-page formal submission to the Minister for Planning, noting the target “was released without consultation and without a clear explanation of the methodology for how and where housing should be delivered” and observing that “without further information, this growth target would seem unachievable from the outset” (Source: 14-august-2024-planning-delegated-committee-meeting-agenda-with-attachments.txt, clause 57857–57869). Full analysis of the submission is in § Council’s Formal Response below.
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February 2025 — Plan for Victoria released in final form. The Plan was released as a 30-year blueprint. It retained the 46,900 target for Ballarat unchanged from the June 2024 draft and added sub-targets: 18,900 greenfield and 28,000 established (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.4). The Plan identified Ballarat as one of three Major Regional Cities (with Geelong and Bendigo), a designation defined as locations home to more than 120,000 people and with sufficient public transport, facilities and services for a large number of new home
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Analysis
The Numbers: What 46,900 Dwellings Actually Means
Per-annum delivery requirement. 46,900 dwellings over 28 years (2023–2051) yields a required average of 1,675 dwellings per year (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.iii; ballarat-igaf-003-.txt, line 957). Broken down by sub-target:
- 28,000 non-greenfield dwellings / 28 years = 1,005 dwellings per year in established areas (infill plus urban renewal).
- 18,900 greenfield dwellings / 28 years = 670 dwellings per year in greenfield.
Comparison with historical delivery. The ABS estimated total dwelling stock in the City of Ballarat increased by an average of 1,135 dwellings per annum between June 2016 and June 2022 (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.iii). The required rate of 1,675 dwellings per year is therefore 540 dwellings per year higher than the recent six-year average, or 47.6 per cent above the historical rate. In percentage terms, this is a substantial step-change; in absolute terms, Ballarat needs to find space and servicing for an additional 15,120 dwellings over 28 years (540 × 28) beyond what the status-quo trajectory would deliver.
Comparison with New Dwelling Approvals (NDA) data. The IGAF reports that the 10-year average of NDAs is approximately 1,150 per annum, including a pandemic spike to 1,750 per annum between 2020 and 2023 (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.9 footnote 6). This gives three reference points:
- Long-term trend (2012–2025): ~1,150/year NDAs — Plan for Victoria requires +46 per cent.
- Six-year stock increase (2016–2022): 1,135/year — requires +48 per cent.
- Pandemic-era peak (2020–2023): 1,750/year — target is below this peak, i.e. Ballarat has briefly demonstrated the required construction capacity but not sustained it.
The pandemic peak is instructive: it shows that the construction sector, infrastructure servicing, and development industry are physically capable of delivering ~1,700 dwellings a year when demand and financing align. The policy question is whether the conditions that produced the peak (metropolitan flight, remote working, low interest rates, first-home-buyer incentives) can be substituted by planning and infrastructure interventions that sustain the rate in a less favourable macroeconomic environment.
Comparison with council’s own strategy. The Ballarat Housing Strategy 2041 was prepared under a 50/50 greenfield/established split assumption — a substantially more greenfield-biased distribution than Plan for Victoria’s 60/40 (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.iii). The IGAF explicitly notes that council’s strategy has been superseded by Plan for Victoria: “The Ballarat Housing Strategy 2041 embeds council’s policy aspiration to accommodate half its growth in established urban areas. Plan for Victoria’s 60/40 target for growth is more ambitious again and will require a significant shift to delivering more dwellings in established areas of Ballarat” (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.iii). This creates a specific obligation: the Housing Strategy 2041 must be amended to align with Plan for Victoria before it can be implemented through a planning scheme amendment — which is precisely the sequence the IGAF mandates in short-term recommendation 8(a) (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.vi).
Comparison with business-as-usual. IGAF Table 1 sets out three scenarios at the same 1,675/year delivery total but with different greenfield/infill allocations (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.iii):
| Scenario | Greenfield | Infill/Renewal | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business-as-usual (70% greenfield / 30% established) | 1,172.5 | 502.5 | 1,675 |
| City of Ballarat Housing Strategy (50/50) | 837.5 | 837.5 | 1,675 |
| Plan for Victoria (40/60) | 670 | 1,005 | 1,675 |
The shift from business-as-usual to Plan for Victoria requires:
- Greenfield throughput falls by 503 dwellings/year (from 1,172.5 to 670) — i.e. 43 per cent less greenfield development per year than recent trend.
- Infill/renewal throughput rises by 503 dwellings/year (from 502.5 to 1,005) — doubling the established-area rate.
This is the core planning challenge: Ballarat has to close the 70/30 historical mix down to 40/60 while simultaneously increasing total volume by almost half. The council’s own submission concedes the difficulty: “there are very few examples of cities that have grown at the rate projected, particularly the rate currently set within the State Governments Plan for Victoria of 46,900 dwellings acro
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Current Status
As at April 2026:
- Plan for Victoria finalised February 2025.
- Amendment VC283 embedding targets in Victorian Planning Provisions — approved.
- Ballarat IGAF finalised September 2025 (Public Facing version).
- Council’s Plan for Victoria submission lodged August 2024.
- Council’s public position has shifted from contestation (August 2024) to acceptance (May 2025).
- Ballarat North PSP Amendment C256ball exhibited September 2025; 63 submissions received; Panel hearing dates in March 2026 have now passed; no SAC or Panel outcome is present in this corpus.
- Ballarat North PSP approval targeted for mid-2026 (per Housing Statement priority project commitment).
- Settlement boundary drafting — in progress, not finalised.
- Council’s Housing Strategy 2041, Growth Areas Framework Plan, and Neighbourhood Character Study — adopted August 2024, awaiting planning scheme amendment for implementation.
- Scott Parade rezoning — not yet commenced.
- CBD Structure Plan and Urban Design Framework — in preparation.
- Wendouree Station Precinct, Ballarat Saleyards, Ballarat CBD urban renewal structure plans — commencement expected in current council term (to 2028).
- Bi-annual residential land supply review — first report due 2027.
- Central Highlands Water 2028 pricing submission — due 2028; will determine post-2028 growth area servicing.
- Ballarat Link Road Stages 2 and 3 — unfunded.
- Enabling Growth 2025 funding bid — active, seeking state and federal government support for the BWGA infrastructure package, Dyson Drive duplication, Wendouree Library, and other listed projects.
- Affordable housing needs assessment for Ballarat North PSP — released July 2025, sets 13% target.
Dependencies
Blocks (what this initiative blocks or governs):
- All Ballarat rezoning amendments through at least 2033 are now subject to IGAF sequencing review via Ministerial Direction 18.
- Any out-of-sequence rezoning proposal (e.g. Miners Rest quarry, North West, West of West, Cambrian Hill) is blocked until it addresses the 15 out-of-sequence criteria.
- Council’s Housing Strategy 2041, Growth Areas Framework Plan, and Neighbourhood Character Study cannot be implemented via planning scheme amendment until aligned with Plan for Victoria targets.
- The CBD Structure Plan and Urban Design Framework cannot be finalised without reference to the 4,000-dwelling CBD capacity target.
- The Scott Parade rezoning, Wendouree Station Precinct structure plan, and Saleyards structure plan are all directed by the IGAF short-term urban renewal program.
Blocked by:
- Central Highlands Water 2028 pricing submission outcomes (unlocks or defers North West, West of West).
- Ballarat Link Road stages 2 and 3 funding decisions (pre-planning threshold for North West, West of West, Cambrian Hill).
- Midland Highway upgrade funding and delivery (pre-planning threshold for Ballarat North Expanded).
- Employment Lands Strategy finalisation (unlocks Wendouree Wider, Creswick Road, Saleyards residential transition).
- Residential Zones Review completion (enables Change Areas for additional 10,000–11,000 infill capacity).
- Settlement boundary drafting and gazettal.
- Ballarat North PSP Amendment C256ball approval (delivers 5,700 dwellings; 12% of total target).
Informed by:
- Ballarat IGAF September 2025 (the authoritative sequencing document).
- Municipal Housing Capacity Assessment, Tract April 2022 (the 23,000 theoretical infill capacity figure).
- City of Ballarat Draft Housing Strategy 2023 (the 10,000–11,000 Change Areas figure).
- Ballarat Long-Term Growth Options Investigation 2018 (the initial North West ranking as last priority).
- Infrastructure Victoria 2023 research (the 2–4x cost differential; $59,000 per home premium).
- Central Highlands Regional Growth Plan 2014 (regional context).
- Victoria’s Housing Statement 2023 (21 priority projects, 800,000 homes in a decade).
- Plan Melbourne 2017–2050 (predecessor document to Plan for Victoria).
- Planning Practice Note 90 (15-year residential land supply requirement).
Implements:
- Plan for Victoria 2025 (directly).
- Victoria’s Housing Statement 2023 (through 21 priority projects mechanism).
- National Housing Accord (tangentially — federal context).
- Clause 11 Settlement and Clause 16 Housing of the VPP (through VC283).
Conflicts with:
- Council’s Housing Strategy 2041 (50/50 vs 60/40 split; strategy needs amendment).
- Council’s historical delivery pattern (70/30 vs 60/40 split).
- Short-term landholder interests in deferred growth areas (North West, West of West, Cambrian Hill, Miners Rest).
- Remembrance Drive heritage values (in tension with North West Growth Area road duplication requirements).
Cross-Jurisdictional Links
- Central Highlands Water — 2023–2028 pricing cycle funding of
17.3M (Ballarat West south),13M +6.2M (Ballarat North pipelines),4.6M (Bonshaw pump), $1.2M (Greenhalghs Road water). Post-2028 pricing submission will determine North West / West of West funding. - Department of Transport and Planning — responsible for state roads (Midland Highway, Sunraysia Highway, Remembrance Drive). Unfunded Ballarat Link Road stages 2–3. Dyson Drive duplication $88.3M in funding bid.
- Victorian Planning Authority — delivery agent for Ballarat North PSP Core Area and potentially subsequent PSPs.
- Golden Plains Shire Council — responsible for Cambrian Hill per Growing Places Strategy. 3,000-dwelling potential but outside Ballarat boundary.
- Homes Victoria / Housing Australia — federal/state social and affordable housing delivery, critical to closing the 9,185 shortfall.
- Development Victoria — involved in Ballarat Saleyards relocation and redevelopment.
- Regional Development Victoria — regional funding and coordination.
- Committee for Ballarat — civic advocacy group backing Enabling Growth 2025 funding bid.
Gaps in This Analysis
Documents referenced but not in the corpus:
- Settlement Boundary Map (draft and final) — critical. The IGAF indicates drafting is underway but the corpus does not contain the draft map. This is a CRITICAL gap because the boundary determines which growth areas are within the permissible development envelope.
- Plan for Victoria final document (Feb 2025) — the corpus contains IGAF and council summaries referencing Plan for Victoria but not the primary document itself.
- Amendment VC283 approval documentation — referenced in IGAF but not in corpus.
- Victoria’s Housing Statement: The decade ahead 2024–2034 (full text) — referenced extensively; corpus has extracts only.
- Ministerial Direction 18 (full text) — referenced; needed for rezoning compliance analysis.
- Central Highlands Water pricing submission 2023–2028 (capital works program detail).
- Ballarat Diverse and Affordable Discussion Paper (source of 9,185 figure) — referenced but not in corpus.
- Municipal Housing Capacity Assessment, Tract April 2022 — the 23,000-dwelling source; referenced but not in corpus.
- City of Ballarat Draft Housing Strategy 2023 — superseded by adopted Housing Strategy 2041 but contains the Change Areas 10,000–11,000 figure.
- Ballarat Long-Term Growth Options Investigation 2018 — referenced for North West ranking.
- Central Highlands Regional Growth Plan 2014 — extracts in corpus via Housing Strategy 2041 but not as standalone document.
Key facts that need web research:
- Current status of Amendment VC283 (approved, gazetted, or in progress).
- Status of settlement boundary drafting (2026 expected completion? any published draft?).
- Latest Ballarat North PSP Panel hearing dates and any Panel report.
- Latest Central Highlands Water 2028 pricing submission status.
- Latest Enabling Growth 2025 funding bid outcomes (state and federal government).
- Final Plan for Victoria document text (as distinct from summaries).
Suggested search queries for gap-filling:
- “Amendment VC283 Plan for Victoria housing targets”
- “Ballarat settlement boundary 2026”
- “Plan for Victoria 2025 document download”
- “Ministerial Direction 18 Victoria Planning Authority”
- “Central Highlands Water 2028 pricing submission”
- “Ballarat Link Road funding”
- “Ballarat North PSP Panel report C256ball”
- “Victorian Housing Statement 21 priority projects”
- “Ballarat Diverse and Affordable Discussion Paper”
- “Municipal Housing Capacity Assessment Tract Ballarat 2022”
See also: _gaps for the consolidated corpus gaps list; ballarat-north-psp-c256ball for the full C256ball amendment analysis; ballarat-igaf for the IGAF deep-dive; housing-strategy-2041 for the council’s 50/50 strategy analysis; growth-areas-framework-plan for the Western and North-Western Growth Areas Framework; social-affordable-housing for the 13% target and 9,185 shortfall.
Appendix A: Full IGAF Recommendations Register
Organised by time horizon (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.v–vi, p.51–52).
General (ongoing)
Recommendation 1. The City of Ballarat to implement a comprehensive and assertive program to plan, zone and incentivise development of additional housing in targeted areas of Ballarat’s existing established area.
Recommendation 2. Council to deliver structure planning and rezoning for designated urban renewal areas within the municipality.
Recommendation 3. The City of Ballarat to report on residential land supply every two years, covering: (a) adequacy of sequencing and short/medium/long-term recommendations; (b) market constraints that impact development viability; (c) mechanisms and levers council can use including rates, capital works investment, lot consolidation, and service-agency sewer/water sequencing.
Recommendation 4. The City of Ballarat in consultation with DTP should develop a funding and delivery strategy for state transport infrastructure upgrades to 2051 to support achieving the Plan for Victoria growth targets (e.g. the Ballarat Link Road).
Recommendation 5. Planning for both urban renewal and greenfield growth precincts must include application of a Development Contributions Plan/s that capture and levy development contribution for key state infrastructure (as well as local infrastructure).
Short term (to 2028)
Recommendation 6. Implement a Ballarat Settlement Boundary as per Plan for Victoria – Action 3 “Carefully manage the outward sprawl of regional cities and towns.”
Recommendation 7. City of Ballarat to commence its Urban Renewal Area Program to prepare Structure Plans for the Ballarat CBD Precinct, LaTrobe Saleyards Precinct and Wendouree Station Precinct.
Recommendation 8. DTP to work with City of Ballarat to finalise the following draft strategies and progress relevant planning scheme amendments:
- (a) Implement the Ballarat Housing Strategy via an amendment.
- (b) Implement the Ballarat Growth Areas Framework Plan — must not result in an amendment for immediate rezoning of new greenfield land.
- (c) Prepare an amendment to rezone Scott Parade to facilitate higher-density residential.
- (d) Finalise and prepare an amendment to implement the draft Employment Lands Strategy — including confirmation that industrial land in urban renewal areas is not necessary for commercial/industrial purposes.
Recommendation 9. Investigate the residential threshold capacity for wider Wendouree Village, Creswick Road area and Ballarat Saleyard — determine the maximum number of dwellings before reaching infrastructure capacity plus any contamination challenges.
Recommendation 10. The City of Ballarat must initiate non-planning interventions to facilitate further infill (Section 4.4.1).
Recommendation 11. The City of Ballarat must facilitate development in the existing Ballarat West PSP to maximise development in existing gazetted PSPs with infrastructure capacity.
Recommendation 12. VPA (DTP) should complete the Ballarat North PSP (Core Area) and implement via a planning scheme amendment.
Recommendation 13. The City of Ballarat must not progress additional rezoning of greenfield land in Ballarat North (Expanded Area), North West, West of West, and Miners Rest in the short term.
Recommendation 14. The proposed rezoning at Cambrian Hill is not required in the short term. Golden Plains Shire Council addresses longer-term strategic planning for Cambrian Hill in its Growing Places Strategy.
Medium term (2029–2033)
Recommendation 15. City of Ballarat to extend Urban Renewal Area Program to:
- (a) Continue to incentivise development in targeted urban renewal areas.
- (b) Finalise strategic planning on the wider Wendouree Village and Creswick Road area.
- (c) Prepare and finalise structure plan for the Creswick Road precinct, based on confirmed infrastructure upgrades.
- (d) If sensitive uses can be pursued in the Ballarat Saleyard site, prepare structure plan.
Recommendation 16. The City of Ballarat must continue to facilitate development in the existing Ballarat West PSP and the Ballarat North PSP (Core Area).
Recommendation 17. The City of Ballarat should commence strategic planning for greenfield sites only if required as per the findings of the bi-annual review and in consultation with the State Government.
Long term (2034 onwards)
Recommendation 18. Complete rezoning
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Appendix B: Out-of-Sequence Rezoning Criteria
Any developer seeking to short-circuit the IGAF sequencing must address all 15 criteria to the satisfaction of the City of Ballarat and DTP (Source: ballarat-igaf.txt, p.55–56):
- A. The proposal is of a size and scale to be considered a significant growth front for Ballarat’s future.
- B. Meets the principle of the “10-Minute City” — future development should be focused within roughly an 8 km arc from the centre of Ballarat.
- C. The developer or consortium represents at least 70 per cent of the developable land area in that precinct.
- D. The proponent agrees to fund all necessary feasibility assessments.
- E. The proponent agrees to a precinct structure plan or similar for the entirety of the precinct, inclusive of areas beyond its ownership.
- F. The proposal is connected to the existing urban area — disconnected or “leapfrog” development will be discouraged.
- G. The location minimises overall civil, community and transport infrastructure costs.
- H. The location minimises impacts on Ballarat’s historic urban landscape, the environment and natural resource base.
- I. The proposal must provide an integrated transport strategy to DTP satisfaction including an implementation plan showing contribution to alternative transport modes reducing motor vehicle use.
- J. The proposal must demonstrate provision for social and affordable housing (as defined in the Planning and Environment Act 1987).
- K. If the proposed development represents a smaller portion of a larger precinct, an infrastructure contributions assessment must consider impacts on demand for infrastructure beyond the site boundary — including a potential “top-up” cash contribution for external infrastructure.
- L. If the development requires external infrastructure augmentation, the proponent must demonstrate no additional cost to council/State, or that relevant authorities are ready to fund 100 per cent.
- M. The proponent must demonstrate a short-term need for additional land supply in accordance with the Plan for Victoria growth targets.
- N. The proposed land must be within a growth area defined in the Ballarat Planning Scheme or a council-adopted framework such as the Growth Area Framework Plan.
- O. The proponent must demonstrate consistency with relevant targets in the VPA PSP 2.0 Guidelines.
Appendix C: Council’s 15-Recommendation Housing Submission Register
Organised by theme (Source: 14-august-2024-planning-delegated-committee-meeting-agenda-with-attachments.txt, attachment 6.5.2).
Theme 1 — Housing Affordability and Choice:
- Support councils through resourcing and financial contribution to strategic and statutory planning work required to deliver housing targets.
- Increased investment or support for local councils to negotiate investment in social housing by the private sector.
- Investigate opportunities to apply an inclusionary levy or financial support to councils to negotiate new social housing.
- If housing targets are implemented, further consultation with councils on equitable and achievable targets.
- Consider nominating equitable housing capacity targets and detailed guidelines for how to convert capacity targets to appropriate development controls.
- Greater consideration for promoting housing diversity (dwelling size/type) within the planning scheme.
- Support local councils in establishing partnership arrangements for renewal of existing social housing.
- Support councils in promoting a mixed and balanced community through integration of diverse housing within existing social housing locations.
- Increase housing density targets in growth areas and urban renewal.
- Identify major residential growth precincts and provide clear regional-relevant principles.
- Prepare regionally relevant policy guidance for sustainable neighbourhood planning.
- Enforcement of green wedge / urban growth boundaries.
- Better support councils in delivering community and development infrastructure, particularly DCP shortfalls and asset management.
- Align State Infrastructure Strategy with growth directions for regional strategies.
- Consult with local governments on alternative approaches to developer and community infrastructure.
Theme 2 — Equity and Jobs:
- State-managed mapping of regionally-significant employment precincts and enforceable state policies to protect this land.
- State-managed mapping of high-quality agricultural land and policies protecting it from urban release.
- Reform and review of industrial zones required alongside updated guidance for contemporary economic context.
- State-led / regionally based future workforce requirement assessments and regionally accessible training programs.
Theme 3 — Liveable and Thriving Neighbourhoods:
- Provision of updated guidance for quantity, quality and typology/function of open space for sustainable communities.
- Provide consistency in quantity of open space and Open Space Levy requirements across planning schemes.
- Improve design standards through state-wide guidance for medium and high-density developments (examples: UK Urban Design Compendium, Urban design for Regional NSW, NSW Apartment Design Guide).
- Require preparation by State agencies of detailed State growth infrastructure plans alongside land use plans.
- Undertake regular, responsive public transport service analysis and respond with prompt network changes.
- Reform design and provision expectations to actively prioritise pedestrians in street layouts, priority pedestrian crossings, default lower speed limits, separated cycling infrastructure.
Theme 4 — Sustainable Environments and Climate Action:
- Approve the Elevating ESD Targets Planning Policy Amendment or provide support for a similar ESD policy.
- Provide cost offsets via on-site renewable energy (Solar PV) and rainwater tanks.
- Planning controls consistently applied across state which prioritise climate-resilient materials and landscapes.
- Consider mandating new buildings to require thermal comfort and wellbeing.
- Provide financial assistance for councils to undertake asset risk assessments and improvements.
- Provide support for councils to implement the ESD Roadmap in full.
- Incorporate Sustainable Subdivisions Framework trial recommendations into Clauses 56 and 15.01-3S of the VPP.
- Protect, restore and enhance remaining natural environments; map priority ecological corridors.
- Acknowledge that cleared land can be restored — consider revegetation before seeing it as developable.
Theme 5 — Self-Determination and Caring for Country:
- Adopt a Caring for Country ethos throughout Plan for Victoria 2050 as guided by Traditional Owners.
Appendix D: Numerical Summary — 46,900 Dwellings
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total Plan for Victoria target, City of Ballarat, 2023–2051 | 46,900 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.iii |
| Greenfield sub-target | 18,900 dwellings (40%) | ballarat-igaf.txt p.iii |
| Established-area sub-target | 28,000 dwellings (60%) | ballarat-igaf.txt p.iii |
| Required per annum, total | 1,675 dwellings/year | ballarat-igaf.txt p.9 |
| Required per annum, greenfield | 670 dwellings/year | ballarat-igaf.txt p.9 |
| Required per annum, established | 1,005 dwellings/year | ballarat-igaf.txt p.9 |
| Recent 6-year ABS stock rate (2016–2022) | 1,135 dwellings/year | ballarat-igaf.txt p.iii |
| Recent 10-year NDA average | ~1,150 dwellings/year | ballarat-igaf.txt p.9 |
| Pandemic peak NDA (2020–2023) | 1,750 dwellings/year | ballarat-igaf.txt p.9 |
| Required uplift over recent baseline | +540/year (+47.6%) | Derived |
| 2024 population | 121,050 | ballarat-igaf.txt p.iii |
| 2023 baseline dwellings (approx) | ~52,100 | Derived from Table 2 |
| 2041 projected dwellings (council Housing Strategy) | 79,165 | ballarat-igaf.txt p.9 |
| 2051 target dwellings | ~99,000 | Enabling Growth pack p.15 |
| Change 2021–2041 (council forecast) | +28,961 (+58%) | ballarat-igaf.txt p.9 |
| Ballarat West PSP capacity | 9,060 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.11 |
| Alfredton West PSP capacity | 1,000 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.11 |
| Other greenfield (Miners Rest, Brown Hill) | 840 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.11 |
| Ballarat North PSP Core Area | 5,700 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.13 |
| Ballarat North PSP Expanded Area | 2,600 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.13 |
| North West Growth Area | 8,560 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.27 |
| West of West Growth Area | 12,440 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.29 |
| Miners Rest (former quarry) | 416 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.31 |
| Cambrian Hill (Golden Plains Shire) | 3,000 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.33 |
| Urban renewal low scenario (townhouses only) | 17,990 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.18 |
| Urban renewal high scenario (2–8 storeys) | 41,260 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.18 |
| Scott Parade (2–8 storey range) | 100–240 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.39 |
| Creswick Road (2–8 storey range) | 1,600–4,700 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.42 |
| Selkirk and Eureka Precinct | 3,900–9,600 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.48 |
| Wendouree Village Core | 200–600 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.37 |
| Wendouree Village Wider | 4,000–11,000 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.37 |
| Wendouree Village Total | 8,390–22,720 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.18 |
| Ballarat CBD capacity (Council Housing Capacity Analysis 2022) | 4,000 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.45 |
| Infill theoretical capacity (council Draft HS 2023) | ~23,000 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.19 |
| Infill Change Areas additional | 10,000–11,000 dwellings | ballarat-igaf.txt p.20 |
| Observed infill rate (since 2019) | 310–800/year | ballarat-igaf.txt p.20 |
| Sensitivity: 20% of 33,000 unlocked | 6,800 dwellings (6–7 years supply) | ballarat-igaf.txt p.20 |
| Ballarat Sewer Growth Project — West UGZ South | $17.3M | ballarat-igaf.txt p.11 |
| Ballarat Water Growth Project — North | $13M | ballarat-igaf.txt p.23 |
| Ballarat Sewer Growth Project — North | $6.2M | ballarat-igaf.txt p.23 |
| Bonshaw Sewer Pump Station | $4.6M | Enabling Growth pack p.16 |
| BWGA Infrastructure package | $13.27M | Enabling Growth pack p.15 |
| Dyson Drive Duplication | $88.3M | Enabling Growth pack p.17 |
| Ballarat North PSP Core share of PfV target | ~30% of greenfield, ~12% of total | C256ball explanatory report p.17 |
| Infrastructure Victoria compact-city saving per home | $59,000 | ballarat-igaf.txt p.10 |
| Infrastructure Victoria sprawl cost multiplier (non-transport) | 2x to 4x compact | ballarat-igaf.txt p.55 |
| Plan for Victoria state total target | 2.24 million homes by 2051 | C256ball explanatory report p.17 |
| Plan for Victoria regional Victoria share | 425,600 homes | Council submission p.2 |
| Housing Statement 10-year target | 800,000 homes | ballarat-igaf.txt p.4 |
| Housing Statement priority projects (Victoria) | 21 projects | ballarat-igaf.txt p.4 |
| Housing Statement priority projects (Ballarat) | 2 (IGAF + Ballarat North PSP) | ballarat-igaf.txt p.4 |
| Affordable housing target — Ballarat North PSP | 13% | VPA Affordable Housing Needs Assessment |
| Ballarat affordable housing shortfall by 2041 | 9,185 dwellings | Council submission p.3 |
| 15 out-of-sequence criteria | A–O | ballarat-igaf.txt p.55–56 |
| Council submission recommendations | 37 (15 + 22) | Council submission p.1–10 |
| Minimum developer share for out-of-sequence | 70% of precinct | ballarat-igaf.txt p.55 |
| 10-Minute City arc from CBD | 8 km | ballarat-igaf.txt p.55 |
| Settlement Boundary status | In drafting (not finalised 4/2026) | ballarat-igaf.txt p.5 |
| Ministerial Direction enforcing IGAF | MD 18 | ballarat-igaf.txt p.viii |
| Amendment embedding targets in VPP | VC283 | ballarat-igaf.txt p.10 |
| Live PSP amendment testing target | C256ball | VPA explanatory report |
| C256ball submissions received | 63 | _gaps |
| Major Regional Cities in Victoria | 3 (Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo) | ballarat-igaf.txt p.iii |
| MRCs without settlement boundary | 1 (Ballarat only) | ballarat-igaf.txt p.5 |
Appendix E: Timeline — Plan for Victoria Implementation in Ballarat
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Central Highlands Regional Growth Plan released (regional context). |
| 2015 | Today, Tomorrow, Together — The Ballarat Strategy 2040 adopted. |
| 2017 | Making Ballarat Central: The CBD Strategy 2017–2021 adopted. |
| 2018 | Ballarat Long-Term Growth Options Investigation released. |
| 2019 | Wendouree Railway Station Precinct Master Plan (SJB Urban) prepared. |
| 2019 | Miners Rest Township Plan prepared. |
| 2022 April | Municipal Housing Capacity Assessment (Tract) — 23,000 infill capacity. |
| 2022 Aug 31 | Minister for Planning Lizzie Blandthorn instructs VPA to undertake strategic review of Ballarat’s greenfield and urban renewal areas. |
| 2022 | Community Infrastructure Plan 2022–2037 adopted. |
| 2023 Mar | Infrastructure Victoria “Our Home Choices” research published. |
| 2023 Aug | Miners Rest former quarry DFP amendment withdrawn. |
| 2023 Sep | Victoria’s Housing Statement released — 800,000 homes in a decade. |
| 2023 Sep 20 | Amendments VC242 and VC243 (Clauses 53.22 and 53.23) come into effect. |
| 2023 | City of Ballarat Draft Housing Strategy released — 10,000–11,000 Change Areas figure. |
| 2024 Feb | Victorian Government commences Stage 1 consultation on Plan for Victoria. |
| 2024 Jun | Draft housing targets released for all 79 councils — Ballarat allocated 46,900. |
| 2024 Aug | Housing Strategy 2041, Growth Areas Framework Plan, Neighbourhood Character Study adopted by council. |
| 2024 Aug 14 | Planning Delegated Committee adopts Plan for Victoria submission. |
| 2024 | SGS Economics and Planning Infill Uptake Analysis prepared for council. |
| 2024 Nov | Enabling Growth 2025 Information Pack prepared (funding bid). |
| 2025 Feb | Plan for Victoria released in final form. 46,900 target confirmed with 60/40 split. |
| 2025 | Amendment VC283 embeds targets in the VPP at Clause 16.01-1S. |
| 2025 May 28 | Council public meeting — Director D&G publicly acknowledges 60/40 target. |
| 2025 Jul | VPA Ballarat North PSP Affordable Housing Needs Assessment (13% target). |
| 2025 Aug | Jacobs Integrated Transport Assessment for Ballarat North PSP. |
| 2025 Sep | Ballarat IGAF finalised (Public Facing version) by DTP/VPA. |
| 2025 Sep | Ballarat North PSP and Amendment C256ball exhibited. |
| 2025 Oct | C256ball submissions close; 63 submissions received. |
| 2026 Apr | Status of settlement boundary drafting: in progress. |
| 2026 Mid | Target approval date for Ballarat North PSP Core Area amendment. |
| 2027 (projected) | First bi-annual residential land supply review by council. |
| 2028 | CHW 2023–2028 pricing cycle concludes — Ballarat West south, Ballarat North pipelines complete. |
| 2028 | CHW 2028 pricing submission — will determine post-2028 growth area servicing. |
| 2028 | End of IGAF short-term horizon. |
| 2029–2033 | IGAF medium-term horizon — Wendouree Wider, Creswick Road, Saleyards structure plans. |
| 2034+ | IGAF long-term horizon — Ballarat North Expanded, West of West / Miners Rest, North West / Cambrian Hill (in that order, if required). |
| 2041 | Council Housing Strategy horizon — forecast 79,165 dwellings. |
| 2051 | Plan for Victoria target horizon — 99,000 dwellings, 46,900 net additions. |
Appendix F: How Plan for Victoria Changes the Meaning of Each Council Strategy
The following table maps every council strategic planning document to its Plan for Victoria implication:
| Strategy | Plan for Victoria implication | Required action |
|---|---|---|
| ballarat-strategy-2040 | Initiative 3.7 out-of-sequence criteria re-worked into IGAF 15 criteria | Review to align with IGAF |
| housing-strategy-2041 | 50/50 split must shift to 60/40; 29K forecast must accommodate 46.9K PfV | Amend via planning scheme amendment |
| growth-areas-framework-plan | Western and North-Western Growth Areas deferred beyond 2034 | Adopt without immediate rezoning |
| neighbourhood-character-study | Must accommodate higher-density infill within character | Integrate with Residential Zones Review |
| infill-housing-framework | 23K + 10–11K Change Areas must deliver ~28K target | Implement Change Areas through RZ review |
| cbd-urban-design-framework | CBD 4,000 dwelling target at Clause 16.01-1S | Finalise Structure Plan + UDF |
| cbd-strategy | Superseded by new CBD Structure Plan | Inform new document |
| activity-centres-strategy | Align with density targets in activity centres | Review |
| industrial-areas-review | Employment Lands Strategy must confirm sites for urban renewal transition | Finalise for scheme amendment |
| economic-development | Aligns with Equity and Jobs chapter of council submission | Update as relevant |
| social-affordable-housing | 9,185 shortfall; 13% PSP target; inclusionary levy advocacy | Continue advocacy |
| open-space-strategy | Consistent Open Space Levy required (Recommendation 2, submission Theme 3) | Update |
| biodiversity-strategy | Ecological corridors and revegetation (Recommendation 8, Theme 4) | Update |
| heritage-plan | Conflicts with North West road duplication, CBD HO171 density | Review |
| rural-land-use-strategy | Reconcile with settlement boundary | Review post-boundary gazettal |
| integrated-transport-action-plan | Midland Highway, Dyson Drive, Link Road stages 2–3 | Develop joint DTP funding strategy (IGAF Rec 4) |
| cycling-action-plan | Separated cycling infrastructure (Theme 3 Rec 6) | Update |
| car-parking-strategy | Minimum car parking in CBD residential (Ballarat CBD section) | Review |
| community-infrastructure-plan | Wendouree Library, Eastwood Hub, BWGA package | Continue delivery |
| sustainable-subdivision-framework | Theme 4 Rec 7 — incorporate into Clauses 56 and 15.01-3S | Council advocacy |
| climate-sustainability | Theme 4 recommendations 1–9 | Align with ESD Roadmap |
| smart-city-framework | Infrastructure support for compact city | Integrate |
| population-housing-demand | Table 2 IGAF forecast; SGS infill uptake analysis | Update with PfV targets |
Every one of these strategies is now operating within the new Plan for Victoria envelope. The coordination workload is the aggregate reason why IGAF general recommendation 1 specifies that the program must be “comprehensive and assertive.”
Size Contract Note
This page was compacted for UI and Obsidian readability. The underlying source documents and extracted text remain in the evidence corpus.
Post-Hearing Status Guardrail
As at 31 May 2026, any March 2026 SAC or Panel hearing date for Ballarat North/C256ball should be read as a past procedural milestone, not as a future event. The available corpus does not contain a SAC report, Panel report, Ministerial decision or gazettal outcome after those hearing windows, so the defensible status is “hearing window passed; outcome not in corpus”. This keeps the page current without inventing an approval or refusal outcome.