The Victorian Government has paved the way for more than $1 billion worth of job-creating building projects to begin in the hope they will help kickstart the economy.

The Government’s Building Victoria’s Recovery Taskforce has fast-tracked seven projects, all of which have now received planning approval.

As the state continues to recover from the economic impacts of the coronavirus crisis, these projects are vital during the construction phase and long afterwards.

“Now more than ever, Victoria needs a strong building and development sector, and we’re making sure this industry can continue to thrive all over the state, despite the challenges of coronavirus,” Minister for Planning Richard Wynne says. 

The latest projects to receive planning permits include:

• A $291 million, two tower residential development at 938 Collins Street, Docklands, featuring 668 apartments;
• A $250 million development at 31 Station Street Caulfield, which includes a build-to-rent scheme, affordable housing, a supermarket, retail and office space;
• The $150 million Geelong Civic Precinct, including a six-storey commercial building to be used as the new civic centre for the City of Greater Geelong, and a 12-storey commercial development to accommodate a further 900 full time workers;
• A $200 million solar farm at Kennedys Creek, located 5km northeast of Benalla, which will generate 115 megawatts, enough to power more than 50,000 households;
• Two multi-storey apartment buildings at 103-109 and 115-117 Boundary Road in North Melbourne with retail and office space, valued at $41.2 million;
• A $70 million development at 346-350 Macaulay Road Kensington, including six multi-level buildings comprising 426 dwellings and retail space; and
• A $110 million nine-story mixed use development at 285A Burke Road, Glen Iris, which is next to the Gardiner train station, comprising of 11 dwellings funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

On the Taskforce’s advice, the Planning Minister is also in the process of, where appropriate, calling in projects that have become stuck with council or VCAT. To date, he has called in six projects totalling $750 million.

Since March, the Government has approved 91 new and amended planning permits for projects which have a combined development value of more than $6 billion.

“These projects help grow our building and development industry, they create jobs and they build the things Victorians need,” Treasurer Tim Pallas says.