Ten thousand homes, and the rules that allow them

Three new planning instruments came into effect over the Preston activity centre in April last year: an Activity Centre Zone, a Built Form Overlay, and a Housing Choice and Transport Zone. Together they are the state government's Activity Centre Program, and they sit over the top of the council's own draft structure plan for Preston Central.

What they do, in practice, is set out in advance what can be built where, including which heights, in which streets, without the fight. The commercial spine along High Street carries the tallest envelope at four to ten storeys. Step back from it into the surrounding residential streets and the allowance drops to three or four, with six permitted on some of the larger sites closer to the core.

The housing number attached to all this is at least 10,200 new homes. That figure came down during the process: the version put out for consultation carried 15,300. Council's own planning, before the state stepped in, had allowed for 6,800 in the High Street core alone.

From 2027 a new infrastructure contributions system starts, intended to fund roads, parks, transport and community facilities out of the development that follows. Neither the rate nor the first projects have been published.

Thornbury is next. Council has flagged consultation on two new train-and-tram zone centres in Thornbury beginning in April or May. The year is not stated on the council's own project page, which is worth confirming before anyone makes plans around it.

The spine. Four to ten storeys are now contemplated along this stretch of High Street.