Future Homes Program

Future Homes is a Victorian Government program that provides developers with access to a streamlined planning pathway if they use and adapt one of four government-sponsored apartment building designs on eligible land within 800 metres of a train station or identified activity centre.

The four Future Homes designs shown below are intended to be adapted for use across Victoria. Their use raises questions about whether a small number of standardised apartment templates can adequately respond to the diverse character, heritage and landscape settings of Melbourne’s established suburbs. Good urban design should be shaped by the unique characteristics of a site and its surroundings, rather than by a template-based approach applied across many different neighbourhoods.

The designs are intended to suit sites equivalent to approximately two suburban lots but can also be adapted for larger sites and larger developments.

While properties affected by heritage and neighbourhood character overlays are excluded, many established residential streets are not protected by these controls. This raises concerns that standardised apartment designs could be replicated across a wide range of suburban locations with limited regard for local character and streetscape context.

The streamlined planning pathway also places significant emphasis on compliance with predefined design requirements rather than locally developed planning controls. Although community notice is still required, Future Homes applications are exempt from third-party appeal rights, prioritising consistency and efficiency over site-specific design, neighbourhood character and local decision-making.