Politics
Essendon Approves All 319 Planning Applications for Homes and Renovations
Every planning application submitted in Essendon has received approval, enabling works such as new dwellings and heritage alterations to move ahead for local property owners.
How we reported this
Essendon residents seeking to subdivide land or carry out renovations have seen every one of their 319 planning applications approved by council in the latest figures, with zero refusals recorded. This outcome directly affects homeowners and developers who lodged requests for multi-unit housing, signage and vegetation removal, allowing those projects to proceed without rejection.
Why Approvals Matter for Daily Life in Essendon
Planning decisions shape streetscapes and housing supply in Essendon, where subdivisions accounted for 69 of the applications and renovations for 66. With all requests cleared, property owners on streets such as Ogilvie and MacKay can now build additional dwellings or add extensions, influencing local density and the availability of homes near existing services.
Recent approvals illustrate the pattern. Construction of two dwellings was signed off at 146 Ogilvie Street on 12 September 2025, while partial demolition and additions in a heritage overlay were permitted at 4 Curtis Street on 11 September 2023. Similar clearances for multi-unit projects and alfresco additions at addresses including 48 MacKay Street and 31 MacKay Street show how the process supports both new builds and modifications to older homes.
Numbers Behind the Decisions and Next Steps
Data covering the 319 applications show subdivision as the largest single category, followed by renovation and multi-unit developments at 62. The full list also includes 35 signage requests, 21 vegetation matters and 17 single-dwelling proposals, each granted without refusal according to records drawn from council planning registers.
Local residents can expect further applications to follow the same pattern unless new overlays or zone changes intervene. Property owners considering works at sites such as 7 Kiora Street or 44 Roberts Street, both recently approved for heritage-related alterations, now have a clear path to complete their projects once permits are acted upon.