Ballarat needs 46,900 new homes to meet new state government housing target

Councils have been told how many houses they need to make way for over the next 30 years to meet new draft targets.

Across Victoria, Ballarat will need to build 46,900 new homes, Greater Shepparton 14,500 and Greater Geelong 139,800.

In Greater Bendigo, 37,500 homes will need to be built by 2051, bringing the number of homes from 54,900 to 92,400.

Further south, the Macedon Ranges Shire council has been told it will need 12,700 houses, while the Campaspe Shire will need 4200 more houses and Mount Alexander Shire will need 4300.

Premier Jacinta Allan announced the new draft targets on Sunday, with the final numbers to be released by the end of the year. The state government would listen to councils on proposed changes to local planning rules and "harness their local knowledge", the Premier said.

"To give industry the confidence they need to get on and build, we need government and all councils working towards the same goal: more homes for Victorians - in the right places."

The targets were calculated on each region's proximity to jobs, access to public transport and environmental hazards such as flood and bushfire risk, according to the state government.

Many councils in Melbourne would double their number of new houses every year, the state government proposed. Last year, former premier Daniel Andrews revealed a plan to build 800,000 homes in the next 10 years in a 40-page housing statement.

Latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows 11,071 homes were approved for construction in Victoria in the first three months of 2024, putting the state on track to approve fewer than 45,000 this year.

The final council housing targets will be released by the end of 2024 following local government consultation.