Hobsons Bay Council Approves Major Housing and Jobs Plan for Altona

Hobsons Bay Council approved seven three-storey dwellings at 55 Wren Street in Altona by a 4-3 vote. The same meeting rejected plans for a four-storey, 80-dwelling apartment complex in Altona Meadows, a proposal already appealed to VCAT by the applicant.

Altona North Comprehensive Development Plan sets housing and employment targets

The Victorian Planning Authority released the Altona North Comprehensive Development Plan for a 67-hectare former industrial site. The plan envisions a mixed-use neighbourhood containing 3,000 homes and 1,000 jobs. These figures establish the scale of residential and employment growth projected for the area under the authority's framework.

Separately, the Department of Education and Training requested rezoning of the Blackshaws Road site in Altona North from an Education zone to a Residential Growth Zone. Public comment on the rezoning request remains open.

Integrated Transport Strategy consultation now underway

Council endorsed the draft Integrated Transport Strategy for Altona and opened a six-week community consultation running from 17 June to 28 July 2026. The strategy addresses movement and access across the locality.

These planning steps connect directly to daily resident needs for housing supply, local job creation and transport options. The 3,000 homes and 1,000 jobs outlined in the Altona North plan provide the clearest quantitative targets currently available for future residential capacity and employment generation. The Wren Street approval adds a small number of new dwellings while the Altona Meadows rejection maintains the status of that particular application pending the VCAT process. The Blackshaws Road rezoning request, if advanced, would convert an education-zoned parcel to residential growth zoning, potentially expanding housing options once public input concludes.

The transport strategy consultation period gives residents a defined window to provide input on infrastructure priorities. All listed decisions operate within the existing local government and state planning processes that govern land use in Altona.