The Victorian government has reached a new milestone in its push to streamline housing supply, with its Development Facilitation Program (DFP) officially passing 15,000 fast-tracked home approvals across the state.
The benchmark comes after the planning pathway approved 1,775 new homes in August alone, drastically cutting red tape for residential developments close to public transport, employment hubs, and local schools.
Designed to bypass standard municipal planning delays, the DFP has brought average approval times down to just four months, roughly 10 months faster than typical local council assessment processes.
Among the latest approvals is a 478-home development on Victoria Parade in Collingwood, which will feature a public plaza, a neighbourhood garden, and ground-floor retail units in an inner-city precinct.
Under program guidelines, eligible developments must allocate 10 per cent affordable housing, delivered either as physical dwellings or through financial contributions to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The pathway has generated almost $63 million for the fund to date, directly supporting social housing construction for vulnerable Victorians.
Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny remarked on the acceleration of approvals under the initiative, which saw 3,705 homes approved in its first 12 months, 9,000 in its second year, and a further 6,000 so far this year.
“Labor is fast-tracking thousands of homes right across Victoria,” Kilkenny said.
“Labor’s reforms are delivering more homes across Victoria for working people.”
Minister for Housing, Building and Precincts Nick Staikos added that the initiative is delivering crucial community outcomes alongside density.
“We’re getting more affordable and social homes fast-tracked through this program, providing a home for those who need it most,” Staikos said.
With state planning reforms accelerating output, the government maintained that Victoria continues to approve and construct new homes at a higher rate than any other state in Australia.
