From: Hampton Neighbourhood Association Inc.
Date: October 19, 2025
Submission to the Activity Centres Team – Hampton Activity Centre
Objection to Proposed Planning Changes
The Hampton Neighbourhood Association (HNA) appreciates the opportunity to provide this submission in response to the State Government’s proposed planning changes for the Hampton Activity Centre.
HNA represents a large and active local membership of residents committed to ensuring that housing growth is managed in a way that respects neighbourhood character, local heritage, environmental considerations and community amenity.
1. Excessive Heights and Scale of Development
The proposed rezoning along Hampton Street allowing buildings between 8 and 16 storeys represents a profound departure from the existing Bayside Planning Scheme. Such a scale of development would:
· Destroy the established village character that defines Hampton;
· Overwhelm shopper parking and local traffic networks;
· Create wind tunnel effects and major overshadowing of public areas;
· Diminish the visual and social cohesion of Hampton Street
We therefore call for a significant reduction in the proposed height limits. It should also be noted that a great many apartments added to Hampton in the last two years are empty. There are estimates of over 100 vacant apartments.
2. Inner Catchment Impacts
The proposed 6-storey height limits for larger sites in the inner catchment are entirely inconsistent with the surrounding built form of 1- and 2-storey dwellings. Such structures would result in extensive overshadowing and overlooking.
HNA supports limiting the inner-catchment height to 3 storeys, except for:
- dwellings in the coastal zone, where the existing maximum height of two storeys plus an attic should be retained
- blocks exceeding 1,000 m² where 4 storeys may be acceptable.
3. Outer Catchment Impacts
In the outer catchment, the proposal to allow 4-storey apartment blocks would lead to unacceptable overshadowing and overlooking of nearby single-storey homes.
HNA recommends restricting heights in the outer catchment to 3 storeys, combined with a reduction in the total area designated as the outer catchment.
4. Inadequate Heritage Mapping and Protection
While the State Government has now provided maps showing heritage zones, these were released far too late in the consultation process, undermining residents’ ability to provide informed feedback.
Moreover, while heritage overlays prevent demolition of listed structures or features, they do not prevent vertical additions or clarify how multiple overlays will interact.
HNA formally seeks assurances that existing heritage overlays will be maintained and that any new planning controls will explicitly protect the scale, sightlines, and settings of heritage precincts.
5. Consultation and Process Deficiencies
The consultation process has been inadequate and rushed, with unrealistic timelines that precluded meaningful community engagement. Community groups and councils alike have been denied the opportunity to develop coordinated, evidence-based responses.
In addition, the input provided by Bayside Council and the Community Reference Groups in the first round of consultation was completely ignored.
6. Absence of Infrastructure Planning
There has been no accompanying plan for the infrastructure required to support the population growth implied by the proposed up-zoning — including transport, drainage, public open space, schools, and community facilities.
These vital infrastructure elements are already under stress as a result of the significant development undertaken in Hampton to date. Further development on the scale contemplated by the proposed planning changes without delivery of additional infrastructure capacity will result in:
- materially increased traffic congestion (with concomitant costs for business),
- local flooding during storms as the effects of climate change are increasingly felt; and,
- poorer outcomes with respect to health, education and community cohesion.
7. Undermining of Local Planning Integrity
Hampton (and more broadly Bayside) has already successfully accommodated significant housing growth under Council’s DDO12 Structure Plan. DDO12 still provides significant additional housing capacity while using appropriate height and design limits for the liveability of Hampton.
This has been completely ignored by the Activity Centre proposals for Bayside. Bayside City Council has repeatedly confirmed it is on track to meet its 2051 housing target under existing planning controls. As recently reported in THE AGE, it is one of only seven Councils on track to meet its 2051 goal.
The Activity Centre proposal for Bayside and Hampton therefore lacks justification and should be withdrawn and replaced with a proposal which takes on board input from Bayside Council and the community.
The proposed State-driven rezoning seeks to replace Council’s balanced and successful approach with a top-down, centrally controlled model that removes local discretion and community input, including the loss of third-party rights of appeal at VCAT. The result will undermine the integrity of local planning and lead to poor planning outcomes and unacceptable community impacts.
Conclusion
HNA supports an increase in thoughtful, well-located housing that complements Hampton’s character and meets community needs. However, the proposed amendments are destructive and would permanently damage the environment and livability of our suburb.
We therefore urge the State Government Planning team to:
- Substantially reduce the proposed building heights for Hampton Street and its inner and outer catchments;
- Retain and respect the existing DDO12 framework as the basis for future development.
- Ensure full heritage protections and release comprehensive mapping before further consultation;
- Provide clear evidence of infrastructure capacity to support any increased densities; and
- Re-establish a genuine collaborative process with Council and the community.
We would greatly appreciate a response to our input.
Regards,
Hamish Hughes
President HNA