State Housing Bill Forces Berwick Council to Fast-Track Medium-Density Approvals

A housing density reform bill currently before the Victorian Parliament would, if passed, compel councils across the state's outer south-east corridor, including the area governed under the City of Casey that covers Berwick, to approve medium-density residential developments of up to four storeys within designated activity centres without a standard council planning permit. The bill, part of the state government's broader Housing Statement commitments flagged in 2023, is expected to reach its third reading by September 2026. For Berwick residents, the practical effect is straightforward: more apartments and townhouse clusters could begin construction in streets near the High Street retail strip and Berwick train station with fewer opportunities for community objection through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

The timing matters. Victoria's population is projected to grow by 2.4 million people over the next two decades, according to the state government's Victoria in Future 2023 forecasts, and the outer south-east has consistently ranked among the fastest-growing corridors. Berwick itself sits within one of the state's youngest and most densely settled local government areas. Casey recorded 368,000 residents in the 2021 census, a figure the council's own planning documents project will exceed 500,000 by 2041. Councils in this corridor have faced criticism from Housing Industry Association Victoria for slow permit turnaround times, averaging 98 days per decision compared with a state benchmark of 60 days. That gap is part of what the bill's explanatory memorandum cites as justification for removing standard permit requirements in identified zones.

How Berwick Compares to Neighbouring Areas

Not all outer-southeast councils face the same exposure. Cardinia Shire, which borders Casey to the east, contains fewer designated activity centres under the state's Plan for Victoria framework and would therefore see fewer automatic permit exemptions under the bill's current drafting. Narre Warren, Cranbourne and Endeavour Hills are also listed as activity centres in the relevant schedule, meaning Berwick is one of four Casey suburbs where the new rules would apply from day one. Planning analysts at the Planning Institute of Australia have noted in public submissions that suburbs with established town centres, like Berwick's High Street precinct, tend to absorb density increases more efficiently when trunk infrastructure, meaning water, sewage and road networks, is already in place. Infrastructure Victoria's 2021 report found that per-dwelling infrastructure costs in established activity centres run approximately 30 to 50 percent lower than in greenfield estates. Berwick's older town centre gives it a relative advantage on that measure compared with newer Casey growth areas.

For residents, the changes carry concrete day-to-day implications. Parking provisions under the bill's accompanying ministerial direction would be reduced for new developments within 800 metres of a train station, a radius that covers much of Berwick's central shopping and residential area around the Berwick station on the Pakenham line. The government says the policy will reduce car dependency in established centres, but local advocates have raised concerns through Casey Council's formal submission to the parliamentary inquiry, noting that Berwick's bus network currently provides only one frequent-service route, the 839, connecting the station to outlying streets. Additional density without parallel public transport upgrades could increase pressure on street parking across Clyde Road and surrounding residential blocks. The City of Casey's submission to the inquiry, lodged in May 2026, requests that any activity centre rezoning be paired with a committed public transport funding schedule before permits are exempted.

What Residents Should Watch Next

The bill's parliamentary inquiry closed submissions on June 30, 2026. The Environment and Planning Committee is scheduled to table its report by August 15. Casey Council has indicated it will seek a meeting with the relevant minister before third reading to press for infrastructure staging conditions to be written into the legislation rather than left to ministerial direction, which can be amended without parliamentary debate. Residents who want to track the bill's progress can follow it through the Victorian Parliament's bill tracker under the reference LP 2026-027. If the bill passes unamended, the new permit exemptions are projected to take effect from January 1, 2027, meaning development applications under the new rules could begin arriving at Casey's planning department within weeks of the new year.