The government’s final new zonings of HCT1 and 2, are still unknown for Elsternwick, Bentleigh and a few other activity centres. However, what is already LAW, and in operation, includes the Carnegie, Murrumbeena and Hughesdale areas, as well as Moorabbin. In an earlier post, we highlighted how these changes have impacted on Moorabbin, where countless sites were given the green light to ‘upgrade’ from 2 storey height limits, to now 3 and 4. (See: https://gleneira.blog/2026/03/26/moorabbin-before-and-after/)
Below we feature what council has had to say about some of these changes. As per usual, the negatives are totally ignored, and instead, we are told about the most miniscule of ‘positives’. No mention is made of the areas affected, nor how they will specifically be impacted. Nor are we told on what basis some of the areas can become 6 storeys. Surely, if the objective is to inform the community, then much, much more detail, and commentary is required than what we get in the following!!!!!
Catchments
Residential areas surrounding each activity centre, extending up to one kilometre, will be rezoned. These inner and outer catchments will be included in either the:
- Housing Choice and Transport Zone 1 (4–6 storeys), or
- Housing Choice and Transport Zone 2 (3–4 storeys)
It is pleasing to see that the catchment area around Ormond and Mckinnon has been reduced in response to submissions made by both Council and the local community.
Existing heritage precincts have not been included in the inner catchment areas, with the exception of a small section of HO72 (western side of Orrong Road south of Glenhuntly Road). A small number of individually significant heritage places will be located within the inner catchment areas.
So residents can actually see the extent of change, we’ve uploaded the current zonings for Carnegie and its surrounds. Please note that the vast majority of these places have gone from a two storey height limit to anything between 4 and 6 storeys depending on the size of the allotment – eg Rosstown Road is now HCT1 (4-6 storeys) when it was NRZ (2 storeys). There are plenty of other such examples. But overall, the size of these catchments is overwhelming and totally destructive of what residents value about their local streets. And all council can state is that a lot is ‘pleasing’!!!!!!!!!
Check out the following image to discover what has occurred.
CLICK THE ABOVE TO ENLARGE
Glen Eira Debates 
July 9, 2026 at 10:13 AM
This highlights a broader problem with planning communication. When changes of this scale are introduced, residents deserve clear, detailed information about what is changing, why particular areas have been selected, and what the likely impacts will be. Simply pointing to a few positive outcomes while overlooking the extent of the rezoning does not provide a balanced picture. People are far more likely to accept planning decisions when they are explained openly, supported by evidence, and presented with both the benefits and the trade-offs.
July 9, 2026 at 12:19 PM
I agree with you completely. This council approach isn’t new though so we have to ask why. I don’t remember a single public announcement apart from the various wishy washy submissions, where everything was laid out in a simple and clear manner for residents with pictures and conclusions. Posts up here have shown the approaches of other councils, so why won’t our council do something along these lines?
July 9, 2026 at 7:02 PM
I don’t know why, Janice. We’ve had CEO after CEO with local government experience, yet they’ve all fallen into the same pattern of incompetence when it comes to communicating with residents. The only conclusion I can draw is that the Planning Department is too close to developers, and the CEOs haven’t had the backbone to challenge it.