Push against NIMBYs in the planning appeals yard

Local residents will have less scope to appeal certain housing developments under a government plan to build 60,000 homes across 10 established Melbourne centres.

Draft plans for the initial 10 suburban activity centres - a program outlined in the Victorian government's 2023 housing statement - were unveiled on Thursday.

"These draft plans will establish new height rules within these activity centres," Premier Jacinta Allan told reporters in Camberwell.

"They will be different to suit the ... local needs of different communities."

The proposed maximum height of buildings will increase from six to 12 storeys in Camberwell Junction, while developments of up to 20 storeys will be allowed near Heatherdale and Ringwood stations.

New rules will also encourage more townhouses and apartments ranging from three to six storeys to be build in catchment areas surrounding the activity centres.

Wait times for "structure planning" processes in activity centres will also be reduced from up to five years down to about 12 months.

Appeals to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal will be limited for development proposals within the activity centres amid the rise of the not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) movement.

"If the development meets all of that (criteria) and the building envelope, then the notice and review period can be switched off," Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said.

"It will create a more streamlined planning approvals process to enable more homes to be built more quickly for Victorians."

Opposition planning spokesman James Newbury said Labor was planning to swing a wrecking ball through suburbs without community input.

"This is an irresponsible move," he said.

Victoria's metropolitan planning strategy, released in 2017, set a target for 70 per cent of new homes to be built in established suburbs by 2051, with the remaining 30 per cent in greenfield areas.

But about 56 per cent of new homes delivered in Victoria have been in established areas since 2014.

Ms Kilkenny said the program would give more people a chance to live close to train stations, trams, cafes, cinemas and shopping centres.

"The status quo is no longer an option," she said.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece was spruiking his own housing plan on Thursday to convert city offices into 4000 apartments over four years if re-elected in October.

Under the $4 million plan, the City of Melbourne would target five office-to-residential conversions a year in the CBD and Southbank.

Mr Reece pledged to hand out financial grants for the first five projects, slash council rates for successful office to residential conversions and refund any planning and building permit application fees.

The Victorian housing statement flagged the possible conversion of almost 80 under-used commercial office buildings into about 10,000 to 12,000 apartments and mixed-use properties.

A working group is still looking at the feasibility of converting certain offices.

"It is more complex than first meets the eye," Ms Allan said.

Ms Kilkenny said it may be more commercially viable to knock down some offices than retrofit them, although she wasn't ruling anything in or out.

DESIGNATED ACTIVITY AREAS

* Broadmeadows

* Camberwell Junction

* Chadstone

* Epping

* Frankston

* Moorabbin

* Niddrie (Keilor Road)

* North Essendon

* Preston (High Street)

* Ringwood