Dear colleagues,
Jacinta Allan’s Ashburton high-rise, high-density towers
The Allan Labor Government’s high-rise, high-density tower development plans will allow the building of up to 8 storeys in the Ashburton Village, and up to 4 storeys for up to 800 metres surrounding. Residents will have no right to appeal these developments and there will be little council involvement.
Draft maps for Ashburton can be seen here and here.
The proposed high-rises and intense developments risk irreversible damage to established streetscapes, loss of tree canopy and the village feel in Ashburton.
Critically, these plans have been developed with limited council or community engagement, or without evidence of a clear infrastructure strategy to cater for the tens of thousands of additional residents the Allan Labor Government proposes to pack into Ashburton.
Heritage overlays will become virtually meaningless within Labor’s intense high-rise zone.
It’s not just in Ashburton and these surrounding “catchment zones”, Jacinta Allan also plans intensive high-rise, high-density development around Riversdale and Willison.
You will also be aware from my earlier letter in June 2025 the government has through its planning amendment VC267, already changed the rules to allow the development of ‘cookie cutter’ style apartment blocks of up to 4 storeys throughout the City of Boroondara as of right without normal council permit.
In Parliament I have opposed the above Labor plans by attempting to disallow Labor’s planning amendments.
By contrast the Liberal plan to bring forward more housing will deliver more housing quicker and could be adopted by Labor immediately. Our plan ensures the community is at the centre of decision making and can be viewed here.
If you share our concerns about Labor’s forced, undemocratic high-rise and high-density development plans, please sign my online petition here.
Regards,
David Davis MP
Member for Southern Metropolitan Region
Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
Shadow Minister for Resources
Shadow Minister for Arts and Creative Industries