Broadmeadows residents clash with developer over 120-apartment project

Residents along Elm Street in Broadmeadows have lodged formal objections to a 120-unit apartment project proposed for a vacant lot at the corner of Gladstone Road and the rail corridor.

The timing coincides with a sharp lift in local property values that began in early 2025 and shows no sign of easing. Council records indicate median unit prices in the suburb reached $485,000 by March this year, up 14 percent from the same period in 2025, prompting both developers and long-term homeowners to reassess their positions.

Opponents have organised through the Broadmeadows Residents Association and held two meetings at the Broadmeadows Community Hall since May. They cite increased traffic on Gladstone Road and loss of open space that currently serves as an informal dog-walking area for households between Elm Street and the station. The association submitted a 340-signature petition to the planning department on 2 July.

Developer's case

The applicant, Northside Developments, argues the six-storey building would add much-needed housing stock within 400 metres of Broadmeadows railway station. Company documents lodged with council show 40 percent of the units would be priced under $420,000, targeting first-home buyers priced out of nearby suburbs. The firm points to its completed project on nearby Railway Parade, where 85 units sold within nine months of completion in late 2024.

Resident objections and evidence

Objectors counter that the same Railway Parade building has generated 47 parking complaints to council since opening. Traffic counts commissioned by the Residents Association recorded 1,850 vehicles per weekday on Gladstone Road in June, already above the 1,600 threshold the local traffic plan set in 2023. They also note the site sits inside the 500-metre buffer around the Broadmeadows Shopping Centre, where traders fear construction dust will affect foot traffic.

The planning committee is scheduled to consider the application at its 22 July meeting. Residents who want to speak must register with the council's planning secretariat by 15 July; the developer has until 18 July to submit any amended plans. Those seeking further information can view the full application online through the Broadmeadows City Council planning portal or attend the next Residents Association meeting at the Community Hall on 11 July.

This article is general information only and is not personal financial or investment advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek licensed professional advice before making financial decisions.