Broadmeadows Activity Centre Plan Finalised, Guides 30-Year Development

The Broadmeadows Activity Centre Plan has been finalised, setting out a framework for development over the next 10 to 30 years that will permit more homes near the train station and lower-rise apartments in the surrounding catchment. The plan, released by Planning Victoria, aims to guide growth while retaining community character and ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with new residents.

Under the plan, a streamlined planning process in the activity centre core will accelerate the construction of right-type homes, though building heights are capped by nearby airport flight paths, limiting the scale of new development. Community feedback during consultations reduced the walkable catchment boundary and limited buildings over three storeys, reflecting local concerns about neighbourhood density and character.

Community Infrastructure and Funding

A key feature of the finalised plan is the introduction of a new funding mechanism for local infrastructure upgrades, intended to ensure that as development proceeds, the necessary roads, parks, community facilities and utilities are delivered alongside new housing. The government says the mechanism will direct developer contributions toward projects that directly serve Broadmeadows residents, though specific funding amounts or project timelines have not been released.

Residents voiced concerns during the consultation phase about the pace and scale of change, leading to adjustments that limit taller buildings and shrink the area designated for intensive growth. The plan now balances the need for more housing, particularly near public transport, with the retention of existing neighbourhood character.

Long-Term Vision

The Broadmeadows Activity Centre Plan builds on earlier work, including the Greater Broadmeadows Framework Plan from December 2017, which guides urban renewal of brownfield industrial land while retaining employment and encouraging diverse infill housing in the area. That earlier framework set the broader direction for transforming underused industrial sites into mixed-use neighbourhoods, a goal the new activity centre plan refines with more specific controls and timelines.

For Broadmeadows residents, the plan means more housing options near the train station, with apartments and townhouses expected to replace some older industrial and commercial sites. The lower-rise limits in surrounding areas aim to avoid sudden change, while the infrastructure funding mechanism is intended to ensure that schools, parks and local roads can cope with population growth. No start date for the streamlined approvals process has been announced, but the government says it will be phased in over the coming months.