Our major cities are full of low quality commercial sites that cannot be easily redeveloped by the private sector.
The Federal or State Government should acquire these sites, consolidate them and then sell to a developer on the condition that the housing will be:
- Affordable to 80% of home-buyers
- Seven star efficient
Low-quality sites – an example
These ugly old shops on Warragul Road shops near Holmesglen station are a classic example of an under-utilized commercial site that needs to be redeveloped.
Individually these holdings cannot be redeveloped effectively and it may take decades for a developer to buy them all – if they ever could.

The new apartment blocks should contain commercial space on the ground floor.
High quality redevelopment
This whole site was acquired over many years by a developer and consolidated to allow a high-quality development.

Low quality redevelopment
In this case two site owners have redeveloped their sites separately to create a chaotic and inefficient mess of low quality housing with small commercial spaces. The other three site owners are now ‘trapped’ with sites that cannot be developed.

More examples
Old shops on Springvale Road near Springvale Railway Station.
Old shops near Syndal Railway Station.
These sites are everywhere if you start looking. (These examples are all in SE Melbourne)
If the government does not consolidate the sites then it could be decades before private buyers can do the job – if they ever can.
Benefits of action
- Create more quality housing
- Create more employment
- Create a higher quality urban environment
- Can be managed to be of low or no cost to the taxpayer.