Almost two thousand new homes are set to be delivered in Melbourne’s east after the Victorian Government approved plans for seven new high-rise commercial and apartment complexes in Box Hill.

On Monday, the Victorian Government announced that it has approved the $1.57 billion Box Hill Central North Masterplan.

Originally unveiled in 2020 by Box Hill Central North shopping centre owner Vicinity together with a design team led by architects Bates Smart, the masterplan aims to position Box Hill Central as a true Metropolitan Activity Centre and a transit-oriented development.

The site will be redeveloped into a mixed-use precinct that will feature a new civic plaza, public open space and new pedestrian and bike paths along with landscaping.

The development will feature seven high-rise towers – each of which will range in height from 19 meters to 49 meters.

Six of the buildings will feature residential apartments along with a podium which caters for a range of uses.

The seventh building – to be known as Lot 5 – will accommodate commercial and retail land uses.

All up, the masterplan is expected to deliver up to 1,700 homes with a 10 percent affordable housing contribution.

For the Government, the masterplan’s approval will provide a fillip as it seeks to deliver upon an ambitious target of 800,000 new homes over ten years under its housing statement.

The plan also delivers a boost to efforts develop housing and commercial space at a key hub on the $30-$34.5 billion Suburban Rail Loop East (SRL East) railway development that will link Cheltenham in the south-east to Box Hill in the east.

All up, the government hopes to deliver up to 70,000 new homes above and around the six station precincts in Box Hill, Burwood, Glen Waverley, Monash, Clayton and Cheltenham.

Set in the middle part of Melbourne’s east approximately 20 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, the suburb of Box Hill has been the focus of significant construction boom over recent decades and is now home to a number of high-rise towers.

The suburb is also known for its strong ethnic character, with 35 percent of its residents identifying as Chinese ancestry (2016 Census) as well as a strong presence of many other residents of varying Asian backgrounds.

Already serviced by both Belgrave and Lilydale train lines as well as the route 109 tram line, the suburb is considered to be a significant transport hub and activity centre.

Its role will as a transport hub will be further enhanced once SRL East opens in 2035.

Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny welcomed the masterplan’s approval.

“With Melbourne’s population set to be the size of London by 2050, we’re pulling every lever we can to ensure we can get thousands of new homes for Victorians off the ground faster – where they want to live,” Kilkenny said.

“Box Hill is one of our fastest growing communities and this project will bring more than 1,700 new homes right next to the Suburban Rail Loop – helping us deliver more homes close to jobs, services and great public transport.”

However, the project has been subject to controversy, with the local Whitehorse City Council being opposed to the project but powerless to prevent it from proceeding.

The masterplan has been approved under the Victorian Governments’ Development Facilitation Program, which provides an accelerated pathway for planning assessment for larger projects which are considered to have significant social, economic or environmental impact.

Projects which are assessed under this program are assessed by the state government rather than the municipality.

Whilst the Council as with any other citizens had the opportunity to make submissions and give objections, there is no power to challenge planning decisions for projects which are assessed under this program in a court or tribunal.

The Council has previously described the masterplan as being ‘fatally flawed’ and has expressed concerns over building heights, open space, wind tunnelling, overshadowing and transport impacts.

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