You can view the draft plan for Victoria's train and tram activity centre program on Landchecker. This planning layer helps you assess future development potential in areas where the Victorian Government is proposing planning changes to support higher-density housing near public transport.
What Are Draft Activity Centres?
Draft activity centres are proposed planning areas around train and tram stations in Victoria. The Victorian Government has identified these areas as locations where increased housing density and mixed-use development will be encouraged to support population growth and make better use of existing public transport infrastructure.
The draft activity centre program is being rolled out in phases:
Phase 1: Initial group of train and tram station precincts
Phase 2: Additional station precincts to be included in the program
These draft maps show the proposed boundaries and development categories for each activity centre before they become formal planning controls.
How to Display Draft Activity Centres on Your Map
To view the draft activity centre maps on Landchecker, follow these steps:
Open the Planning Layers panel on the left side of your map
Scroll down and find Draft Activity Centres in the list
Click the dropdown arrow next to Draft Activity Centres to expand the options
Tick the checkboxes beside Phase 1 and/or Phase 2 to display them on your map
The draft activity centre boundaries will now appear as coloured overlays on your map
How to View the Draft Activity Centres Legend
The draft activity centres layer uses different colours to indicate building height categories and catchment areas.
To view the legend and understand what each colour represents:
After enabling the Draft Activity Centres layer, click the three horizontal lines icon (legend button) in the Planning Layers panel
The legend will open and display the following categories:
Core areas (building heights):
Light orange: Up to 8 storeys
Orange: Various heights, 3-10 storeys (includes Ergon Energy GIS and Smallworld designations)
Light red: Up to 12 storeys
Dark red: Up to 16 storeys
Brown: Strategic Site
Catchment areas:
Light purple: Inner Catchment (up to 4 storeys, 6 storeys on large sites)
Dark purple: Outer Catchment (up to 3 storeys, 4 storeys on large sites)
Important Notes About the Draft Activity Centres Layer
When viewing and interpreting the draft activity centres layer, keep these important points in mind:
Council-owned land: Heights shown on council-owned land are subject to council consideration and may differ from the draft plan.
Proposed changes: Proposed changes by Homes Victoria (the state housing authority) or the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing do not automatically mean future redevelopment will occur. These are planning framework changes, not development commitments.
Boundary determination: Boundaries for the activity centres are determined by the State Government and are subject to change during the planning process.
Height suggestions: Heights shown in the draft maps are suggested only as part of the State Government structure plan. They have not been gazetted (officially approved) into planning schemes yet.
Achievable heights: The actual achievable building heights for any specific site will need to be assessed against the relevant planning controls, including other overlays and zone requirements that may apply.
How to Combine Draft Activity Centres with Other Planning Layers for Deeper Property Insights
Draft activity centres work best when you layer them with other planning data on Landchecker. Combining multiple planning layers gives you a more complete picture of development opportunities and constraints.
Draft Activity Centres with Housing Choice and Transport Zone (HCTZ)
The Housing Choice and Transport Zone (HCTZ) indicates areas where the government is actively encouraging higher-density housing growth. When draft activity centres overlap with HCTZ areas, you're looking at priority development areas where:
Higher-density housing is actively supported by planning policy
Planning applications typically face less resistance from authorities
Larger-scale residential projects can be credibly pursued
Multiple levels of government have aligned their growth objectives
To view both layers together, enable both Draft Activity Centres and HCTZ from the Planning Layers panel.
Draft Activity Centres with Built Form Overlay (BFO)
The Built Form Overlay (BFO) specifies the maximum building heights and setback requirements for properties in that area. When you layer this with the draft activity centre, you can:
Quickly assess if a site supports your development vision and desired building height
Spot development opportunities where height limits are generous
Identify height or setback constraints before you invest significant time in due diligence
Compare the draft activity centre suggested heights with the current BFO requirements
To view both layers together, enable both Draft Activity Centres and Built Form Overlay from the Planning Layers panel.
Draft Activity Centres with Heritage Overlay (HO)
The Heritage Overlay (HO) can significantly limit what you can build, even in high-growth activity centres designated for increased density. When you layer the draft activity centre with the heritage overlay, you'll see:
Which sites need extra planning approvals for building alterations or demolition
Where your design flexibility is restricted due to heritage protection requirements
Areas where development timelines might extend due to mandatory heritage impact assessments
Properties where the heritage overlay may conflict with the activity centre's development objectives
To view both layers together, enable both Draft Activity Centres and Heritage Overlay from the Planning Layers panel.
Other Useful Planning Layers to Combine with Draft Activity Centres
In addition to HCTZ, BFO, and Heritage Overlay, Landchecker features many other planning layers that can provide valuable insights when combined with draft activity centres:
Environmental and hazard overlays:
Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO): Shows bushfire-prone areas that require specific building standards
Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO): Identifies environmentally sensitive areas
Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO): Shows areas with protected native vegetation
Special Building Overlay (SBO): Indicates flood-prone areas requiring elevated building standards
Other planning overlays: You can explore and enable additional planning layers from the Planning Layers panel to understand all the planning controls that may affect development in your chosen activity centre location.