Affluent Melbourne suburbs such as Hampton, Hawthorn and Kew could be rezoned to allow apartment towers of up to 16 storeys, according to new draft maps released by the Victorian government.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, and the planning minister, Sonya Kilkenny, will on Wednesday release the maps showing proposed heights and boundaries for 25 of the government’s 50 activity centres, which were first announced in October 2024 .

Under the plan, the state government will seize planning controls for the designated areas – located near train and tram stops – from local councils to allow greater density, increased building heights, faster approval processes and fewer avenues for appeal, in an effort to significantly increase housing supply.

Sign up: AU Breaking News email

While the initia

See Full Page