Activity Centre Program Expansion - Thornbury Cluster

The Victorian Government released draft plans for two new Train and Tram Zone activity centres in Thornbury at High Street and St Georges Road. These maps show areas where more housing and development may be allowed in the future. To view the draft maps and for more information, please visit: Thornbury | Activity Centres Program – Phase 2: Sharing our draft maps | Engage Victoria or call 136 186 (option 6) for more information.

Council’s advocacy and submission

At its meeting on 27 October 2025, Council resolved to endorse the draft submission (with amendments) in response to the Victorian Government’s plans for the Thornbury Cluster. As part of this resolution, Council requests:

• the opportunity to work further with the Victorian Government to support detailed planning controls and infrastructure investment into the Thornbury Cluster.
• that State Government engage further with the community as planning progresses, enabling genuine feedback on proposals.
• that the State Government provide information on available funding streams and contributions to support local infrastructure delivery; and
• that the State Government’s proposed list of infrastructure projects remains confidential until such time that the State Government and Council have thoroughly collaborated and reached agreement.

For more details on the resolution, please visit Council Meetings and Agendas.

A finalised amended submission was provided to the Department of Transport and Planning on 28 October 2025. Alongside detail feedback, it outlined following key Council priorities:

• that the State Government ensures the inner catchment of the Thornbury Activity Centre is not treated as a single, uniform zone, but instead recognises the distinct character, constraints, and access limitations of individual streets.
• that the State Government continue to plan for primary and secondary school capacity to accommodate the projected increase in families and children resulting from future housing development in the area.
• maintain mid-rise development across High Street and St Georges Road cores, capped at 6 storeys, except in specific circumstances that meet the additional criteria set out in the submission.
• allow taller buildings, only considered on large, master-planned sites and supported by a robust public benefits framework under the Built Form Overlay, but have a maximum height of 10 storeys on such sites. 

To view the final submission, please see Darebin Submission to Thornbury (High Street & St Georges Road) Activity Centre Program(PDF, 3MB).