Ballarat Housing Strategy 2023-2041

Our community is growing, and everyone needs somewhere to call home. The City of Ballarat has a responsibility to ensure the municipality’s existing and future residents have access to safe, comfortable, well-located homes that are designed to meet high environmental standards and respect the unique heritage character of our city and townships. This draft Housing Strategy has been prepared to respond to these challenges. 

The Housing Strategy 2023-2041 provides the City of Ballarat with a framework for managing population and housing growth. As a planning authority, The City of Ballarat has a responsibility to plan to accommodate housing growth for at least a 15-year period across the municipality.

This Housing Strategy has taken into consideration our current housing capacity and proposes a longer term approach to planning for housing. 

By 2041, the Ballarat municipality will have grown by up to 55,000 people and will need 29,000 more dwellings. Higher density areas will have evolved in areas that have a high level of services and amenities. More homes are found in Ballarat’s older areas. 

High quality, contemporary housing design is embraced, and responds to our heritage areas. New housing will be of diverse types and sizes, ensuring a housing mix that suits the needs and wants of our changing population. 

More people have access to alternative forms of transport. Social and Affordable Housing dwellings are provided in sustainable locations for people that need them most. 

New homes will be built to incorporate best practice environmentally sustainable design (ESD) principles. Native flora and fauna thrive in our urban and rural areas. 

Public consultation on the Housing Strategy concluded in October 2023.

The City of Ballarat strategic planning team, along with the engagement team and external consultants, will now evaluate the feedback from the Ballarat community. A copy of the feedback review will be provided to submitters to ensure the views have been correctly interpreted. 

Once collated and reviewed, the final strategy will be presented to Council for consideration, which is expected to take place in 2024.