Ballarat's housing crisis response puts it ahead of global peers, local leaders claim

Ballarat's City Council has adopted a notably pragmatic stance on residential zoning that officials say is outpacing responses from comparable mid-sized cities across North America and Europe.

The council's approval of mixed-density housing along the Sturt Street corridor and around the Lake Wendouree precinct reflects a deliberate effort to balance growth with heritage preservation—a challenge cities like Hobart, Bendigo, and even Canadian centres like London, Ontario, are still grappling with.

"We're not trying to be Melbourne," said a senior council planner at last week's planning committee meeting, noting that Ballarat's median house price of $485,000 remains significantly lower than comparable regional hubs. "The strategy here is incremental intensification without the towers."

That measured approach contrasts sharply with Adelaide's aggressive apartment zoning, which has triggered backlash from heritage groups, and Melbourne's continued supply-demand standoff. International comparisons are proving instructive: Geelong, Ballarat's nearest Victorian peer, has faced fiercer community resistance to similar projects, while Launceston in Tasmania has struggled to attract investment of equivalent scale.

The city's Local Planning Policy Framework amendments, finalised in March, have streamlined approvals for townhouses and dual-occupancy dwellings in established neighbourhoods—particularly around the Ballarat CBD and suburbs like Redan and Delacombe. Property developers report approval timelines have improved by roughly 40 per cent compared to 2023 figures.

However, challenges persist. Infrastructure spending hasn't kept pace with housing targets; water pressure issues on parts of Magpie Street have delayed three developments this quarter alone. The council's $12 million annual transport budget remains tight compared to regional counterparts in New Zealand's Hamilton, where similar-sized cities invest closer to $18 million annually.

Community consultation has been more robust here than in some global comparisons. Neighbourhood forums in Sebastopol and Wendouree have shaped final design codes, a process that cities like Brighton, England—facing comparable heritage-density tensions—are only now formalizing.

"The real test will be delivery," observes Ballarat's director of strategic planning. With 2,847 new dwellings approved since 2022, the city is tracking toward its ten-year target of 12,000 additional homes. That puts it ahead of similarly-sized Australian regions, though behind growth rates in comparable British cities.

The council will present its mid-term review to state government in September, positioning Ballarat's model as a template for regional Victoria.

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