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Bundoora Community Members Consider Local Government Permit and Infrastructure Decisions
Residents across the suburb's three council areas review recent planning outcomes and planned projects affecting daily services and open space.
How we reported this
Bundoora residents are examining decisions made by the City of Whittlesea, the City of Banyule and the City of Darebin after recent planning permit figures and infrastructure proposals were released. The suburb sits across three local government areas, with approximately 45 per cent of its population in Whittlesea, 37 per cent in Banyule and 18 per cent in Darebin.
Permit Approvals Across the Three Councils
In the Whittlesea portion of Bundoora, 26 of 50 planning permit applications were approved with none refused as of early 2026. The median processing time stood at 41 days. Renovation applications formed the largest share of those lodged. In the Darebin portion, four of 14 applications were approved with none refused, and vegetation-related matters were the most common type. Both councils recorded 100 per cent approval rates for the applications they decided.
Infrastructure and Safety Projects Under Review
The City of Banyule's Community Infrastructure Plan lists medium-term actions to advocate for the relocation of Bundoora Preschool and the Bundoora Maternal and Child Health Centre, which currently sit under transmission lines. The City of Darebin holds a delegated Committee of Management role for the Bundoora Park Precinct, a large public open space owned by the State Government of Victoria. A Victorian Government grant of $184,000 was provided to Darebin to improve lighting along Main Drive, with the council adding more than $50,000 to install 23 lights.
Future Planning Framework
The City of Whittlesea is preparing a Bundoora Place Framework as part of its Community Action Plan 2025-2029 to guide development in the suburb. Community members in each of the three council sections are assessing how these separate decisions will shape local services, open-space management and building activity in the coming years.
Further updates on the Bundoora Place Framework and the Banyule infrastructure advocacy are expected as the councils progress their respective work programs.