The 2.5km2 pocket of Richmond between Burnley St and the Birrarung (Yarra River) and down to Bridge Road has had a disproportionate amount of development fast-tracked by the Victorian Labor Government in such a small area, going over the heads of the local council and community.

Where locals see a connected, leafy community with cafes and creative businesses, developers see dollar signs. And the Labor government keeps handing them fast-tracked permits to build thousands of luxury apartments in increasingly higher buildings, with serious amenity and public realm concerns voiced by council Planning officers.

• Victoria Gardens Doonside – 827 units up to 17 storeys (approved 2024)
• 81-95 Burnley St aka Harry the Hirer – 687 units up to 18 storeys (approved August 2026)
• 43 & 63 River St – 187 units up to 12 storeys (under consideration, erected massive display suite with no permit)

The community is calling for:

• No more fast-track planning permits in their neighbourhood – let the council and community have a say
• Investment in public transport infrastructure – it’s already impossible to board a tram on Victoria St or Bridge Rd
• A long-term plan for sustainable traffic movement – the river is a hard boundary and congestion is already an issue
• Care for the Birrarung, established trees and the native wildlife that depends on this habitat
• Consideration of services needed for current and future residents – including open space, childcare and other family amenities

The Planning Minister is fast tracking inappropriate developments, bypassing consultation and dodging accountability.

The fast-track pathway shouldn’t be a mechanism to ram through private developments without the proper checks and balances. But its current purpose appears to be to maximise developer profit regardless of community benefit. You only have to look at Labor’s donation ledger to understand that they take major donations from dodgy corporations, including the very developers and banks who stand to profit from these developments. 

Major planning decisions should be made in the public interest, not behind closed doors at the discretion of a single minister. Victorians deserve a planning system that serves communities, not one that gives well-connected developers a fast track to profits.