{"id":841107,"date":"2026-08-03T04:14:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T04:14:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/841107\/"},"modified":"2026-08-03T04:14:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T04:14:16","slug":"surrey-hills-orphanage-apartment-project-tests-suburban-planning-laws-and-our-appetite-for-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/841107\/","title":{"rendered":"Surrey Hills orphanage apartment project tests suburban planning laws and our appetite for change"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rachael<\/p>\n

August 3, 2026 \u2014 12:34pm<\/p>\n

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A push to convert one of Australia\u2019s oldest orphanages into apartments in a sleepy suburb not earmarked for high-rise development has sparked a warning for other residential streets in Melbourne.<\/p>\n

A developer wants to turn the former St Joseph\u2019s Home for Boys in Surrey Hills into 76 apartments over four storeys which, if approved, would be two levels above the area\u2019s existing height limit and include the demolition of a 1941 school, subject to local heritage protections.<\/p>\n

\"SurreySurrey Hills resident Sally Forrester outside the former St Joseph\u2019s Home for Boys. A developer wants to turn the home into an apartment complex.Joe Armao<\/p>\n

Other historical buildings like the iconic chapel, which is more than 120 years old, would remain.<\/p>\n

City of Boroondara Mayor Wes Gault said the proposal was \u201cunlawful\u201d given current height limits, but the council was powerless to stop it.<\/p>\n

The developer has sought permission directly from the state Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny through a pathway that bypasses councils<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Boroondara<\/a><\/p>\n

The pathway applies to projects above $50 million if 10 per cent of homes are allocated to affordable housing or \u2013 in this case \u2013 developers contribute 3 per cent of construction costs to a fund to build them. Projects approved this way cannot be fought at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.<\/p>\n

Unlike many other housing projects under consideration through the state government\u2019s Development Facilitation Program<\/a>, the Surrey Hills<\/a> site is not within a state-designated activity centre area, where high-density development is encouraged to address the state\u2019s housing crisis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, planning advocates and even some residents say the site\u2019s distance from the city, public transport options and size are an example of developments that should be encouraged to address the housing crisis \u2013 not ones blocked by council.<\/p>\n

Planning Institute of Australia Victorian president Patrick Fensham said while the government sought to address the gap between housing supply and population growth, there was also a \u201cquestion mark about the legitimacy\u201d of approving medium- to high-density developments outside activity centres or in areas otherwise provided for in planning controls<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this the new system? Is this a site-by-site assessment process rather than responding to strategic planning, which is based on good planning aims? The precedent is problematic,\u201d Fensham said.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe more we see ministerial discretion in these things and the lack of a process for the public to provide input, that there is a principle of integrity of the system which is somewhat at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Professor Andrew Butt, from RMIT University\u2019s Centre for Urban Research, supports greater housing density in spots with good access to services such as transport. But he is concerned existing rules around height and setbacks could be waived, particularly as a community\u2019s appeal rights diminish, and believes the public should be able to trust existing controls will be upheld.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re testing the limits of those controls and, in fact, breaking them, what faith would we have in the controls anywhere? This could happen anywhere,\u201d Butt said.<\/p>\n

Sally Forrester is among many Surrey Hill residents who lodged objections to the plans for the St Joseph\u2019s site, and is concerned the development would overwhelm mostly single-storey heritage homes nearby.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time that it gets developed,\u201d Forrester said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut in short, the current proposal is far too large, too intense, and it\u2019s too inconsistent with the preferred neighbourhood character of the precinct.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SomeSome residents fear the school building will be demolished.Joe Armao<\/p>\n

Boroondara Heritage Group committee member Christina Branagan worries about the potential loss of the school building. Not only was it a significant structure and enhanced the area\u2019s character, she said, but it was vital to uphold the broader principle of protecting heritage assets for future generations.<\/p>\n

However, other residents are broadly in favour, including Jocelyn, who asked for her surname to be used.<\/p>\n

She has lived nearby for two decades and said the proposed height wasn\u2019t a concern as the chapel was already tall, and she was relieved older heritage buildings would be restored. Her concern is how the narrow surrounding streets might cope with an influx of cars.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as it looks the same and the features are preserved, it doesn\u2019t worry me,\u201d Jocelyn said.<\/p>\n

There is a bus stop on the same street as the former boys\u2019 home, and Chatham train station is about 500 metres away.<\/p>\n

Some housing advocates argue many local planning rules are restrictive as they prevent more homes \u2013 including affordable apartments \u2013 from being built, particularly in inner-city areas.<\/p>\n

A planning report prepared for Antipodean Land Developments, the company behind the proposed development, says the building would respond to housing demand, add to the diversity of homes available in the area and breathe life into underutilised land through a design by award-winning architects.<\/p>\n

\"AnAn artist\u2019s render of the development proposed in Surrey Hills.Woods Bagot<\/p>\n

The report cites \u201cextensive pre-application engagement\u201d with the state\u2019s development program, while a heritage impact report has also been released.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"An<\/a><\/p>\n

Gault, the mayor, described the plans as inappropriate for the site and said it would be \u201cunlawful for council to approve a building of this size\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to see housing growth in Boroondara which is respectful of significant and irreplaceable heritage properties and doesn\u2019t see oversize development in residential areas,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Antipodean Land Developments declined to discuss the proposal.<\/p>\n

Critics of the current planning rules for the area argue they are restrictive and prevent more housing from being built.<\/p>\n

A Victorian government spokesperson said the planning system was being overhauled to ensure more homes were built.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Sally<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cBoroondara Council is working overtime to block new homes \u2013 locking out workers, families and young Victorians from living in these well-connected areas,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny proposal will be considered on its merits and in accordance with the relevant planning scheme including heritage overlays.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former orphanages and children\u2019s homes across Melbourne have varied uses.<\/p>\n

The former St Vincent\u2019s Boys\u2019 Orphanage in South Melbourne is now occupied by child welfare agency MacKillop Family Services, and the Blackhall mansion, previously occupied by the Catherine Booth Girls\u2019 Home in Kew East, is owned by Carey Baptist Grammar School.<\/p>\n

The Box Hill Boys Home is part of a retirement village, and Abbotsford Convent, now an arts and cultural precinct, used to include an orphanage.<\/p>\n

Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"RachaelRachael Ward<\/a> is a journalist in the City team at The Age. Contact her at rachael.ward@theage.com.auConnect via email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"August 3, 2026 \u2014 12:34pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":841108,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,44],"class_list":["post-841107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/841107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=841107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/841107\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/841108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=841107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=841107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=841107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}