Manningham Council is preparing a submission to the State Government's proposed new housing targets.

Manningham Mayor, Councillor Carli Lange, said the submission would draw on Council’s significant strategic planning work and community feedback.

“We’ll use our existing planning and community data to advocate for a range of outcomes that support Manningham’s current and emerging needs,” Cr Lange said.

The State Government has proposed a draft target of 39,000 new dwellings in Manningham by 2051. This target represents a 76 per cent increase in dwellings over the next 26 years or around 1,500 dwellings per year.

Cr Lange said this represented a significant increase in growth projections for Manningham.

“Over many years, Manningham Council has accepted growth, planned for growth and managed growth in a balanced and incremental way – in close consultation with our local community.

“The increased growth projections, and absence of detailed information provided, are a concern for Council, however we welcome the opportunity to engage with the State Government to ensure positive outcomes for the future of housing in Manningham.

“We’re eager to better understand the thinking and data behind the targets and how the state and federal governments will support the market to provide this additional housing,” the Mayor added. 

Council recently undertook comprehensive community engagement on its Residential Discussion Paper and Activity Centre Design Concepts. These initial phases of engagement will assist in preparation of the draft new Manningham Residential Strategy and Activity Centre Design Guidelines.

As part of the Residential Discussion Paper consultation, more than 70 per cent of respondents said the ‘look and feel of their suburb’ was their main reason for living there.

Respondents also identified a need for more diverse housing types, including more single level townhouses for downsizers and larger housing to suit intergenerational families.

When asked about preferred housing types needed for the future, single dwellings were the top choice (40 per cent), followed by townhouses (23 per cent).

The community expressed similar values and preferences in their feedback on the Activity Centre Design Concepts.  

Around half of the survey participants identified as visiting Park Orchards and Warrandyte Goldfield activity centres most often. Many of these respondents urged the importance of protecting these areas from development because of the sensitive environment, valued character and amenity, and lack of public transport.

“The valuable community insights received through our recent consultations will help inform our submission to the State Government,” Cr Lange said.

“Plans for future housing growth should respect the valued neighbourhood attributes of local communities.

“Planning also needs to ensure that the housing delivered is diverse and provides for a range of incomes, lifestyles and life stages. It should also consider the impact on core infrastructure (roads, footpaths, drainage, community facilities), the environment, public transport, traffic and more. 

“In addition to commercial development, we also expect that our major and neighbourhood activity centres will play an integral role in accommodating urban growth and development in Manningham,” she said.

To date this financial year, Council has approved planning permits for 651 dwellings – with 88 per cent of all our decisions made within the 60-day statutory timeframe.

Like other Councils, Manningham has issued permits for many homes that have not yet been built. As has been widely reported, the delivery of these already approved homes on the ground are challenged by the current economic conditions and rapidly increasing construction costs.

Council will keep the community informed throughout the engagement process with the State Government.

Residents are encouraged to have their say on the State Government’s plan for Victoria or learn more about the draft housing targets at engage.vic.gov.au/shape-our-victoria.

The Manningham Community Panel has reached a significant milestone, charting a course for the future after delivering its final recommendations to Council.

Manningham Mayor Councillor Deirdre Diamante said the Panel’s insights will be invaluable in ensuring that the Council’s strategic plans are grounded in the community's needs and aspirations. 

“By listening to the voices of our community, we’re ensuring that our decisions and actions reflect and align with what matters most to our residents,” Cr Diamante said.   

 

“The Panel has played a crucial role in this process, comprising members from diverse age groups, cultural backgrounds and geographic locations that represent the unique tapestry of our community. 

 

“This collaborative approach will help enable us to create a more inclusive, resilient, sustainable and vibrant community for all.”

The Panel was established to identify Manningham's key priorities, challenges and opportunities – to help guide the Council’s strategic plans. This includes the Community Vision 2040, the four-year Council Plan, and the 10-year Asset and Financial Plans.

Throughout the process, Panel members deliberated for approximately 1,680 collective hours and heard from over 50 speakers from Council and community. 

They handed over their recommendations to Council at the final meeting on 1 February 2025. They span several themes including community safety, transport, open spaces and more. 

“Over the coming weeks, we’ll prepare a response to each of the panel’s recommendations, including how they will be implemented or the reasons for not supporting any recommendation,” Cr Diamante said. 

 

“We’re sincerely grateful to the panel members for their time and efforts during this dynamic process and committed to implementing the panel’s recommendations to the fullest extent possible. We’ll ensure their insights are carefully considered in all our decision-making as we plan ahead for Manningham,” the Mayor added.

For further information and stay up to date, visit yoursay.manningham.vic.gov.au/help-shape-manninghams-future

Manningham Council is investigating options to rehabilitate the site of the former Doncaster Quarry after identifying issues that prevent the land from being developed in its current state.

Earlier this year, Council sought expressions of interest for the potential development of the former quarry site, located at 620-628 Blackburn Road in Doncaster East. 

This process was part of Manningham Council's Strategic Property Portfolio initiative, which aims to find new ways of funding the increasing costs of services and infrastructure locally.

Due to issues with the quarry site limiting the financial return of any proposed development, the expressions of interest received were not found to be feasible. 

Manningham Council Chief Executive Officer Andrew Day said due to issues with fill, compaction, water and slope, the site will need to undergo rehabilitation before it could be developed.

“Our focus for the former Doncaster quarry site has shifted to rehabilitating the land site to support potential further development.”

The first step will be an investigation into what is required to remediate the land for future use and development. 

The findings of this investigation will be presented to Council mid next year.

“We only get one opportunity to determine the future of this site, and we want to ensure the best financial return for the community. Once we understand what is required to rehabilitate the site, we will be in a better position to assess its potential,” Mr Day added.

For more information, go to Your Say Manningham.
 

With support from Manningham Council, the new Jackson Court Traders Association has seen the launch of its first initiative – a welcoming new sign at Jackson Court Shopping Centre.

Formed just over a year ago, the Jackson Court Traders Association advocates for its businesses, collaborates with Council, pursues funding opportunities and creates initiatives to promote the popular activity centre.

Jackson Court has more than 90 businesses, making it one of Manningham’s busiest and most vibrant centres. 

The new sign on Doncaster Road is designed to showcase the mix of local businesses and advertise the centre.

Manningham Council supports activity centres with infrastructure upgrades, business support and planning. At Jackson Court, Council helped establish the traders’ association with registration, governance, communication and business development support.

President of the Jackson Court Traders Association, Con Valsamis said the sign brings a new look and increased advertising space for businesses at the centre.

"As a group, we have so many ideas on ways to continue improving this important shopping district. This new signage is a big step towards us achieving these goals,” Mr Valsamis said.

“A big thank you to my fellow committee members for their passion and dedication and to Manningham Council for their support in setting up our traders association.” 

“We want to bring this area to life and really show people what we at Jackson Court have to offer,” Mr Valsamis added. 

You can follow Jackson Court Traders Association on Instagram @jacksoncourt.doncaster.

Manningham Council property purchase sets the stage for new community house

Manningham Council has signed the contract to purchase 576-578 Park Road, Park Orchards as part of its planning for a new Park Orchards Community House and Learning Centre.

A priority action in Council’s Community Infrastructure Plan, discussions and advocacy have already commenced for the replacement of this popular neighbourhood house and it is hoped that this significant investment by Council will be the catalyst for investment from other levels of government.

Manningham Mayor, Deirdre Diamante, said the existing community house needs replacing to bring programs and services together.

"The Community House is widely used and offers a variety of programs and services in learning, fitness and art for all ages, and includes a well-loved childcare facility.

“The current building is coming to the end of its useful life, has limited accessibility and is too small to cater to all programs. These limitations have resulted in programs moving to different locations and spread across multiple local venues.

“By bringing these programs together into one building with better access and more space, we can improve efficiency and better support the community’s growing needs.”

The location of the new property, adjacent to the existing Community House at 572 Park Road, will allow for more space for the variety of programs on offer.

“Located in the heart of Park Orchards, as part of a community and education precinct and near public bus transport, the site will maintain convenient access to childcare, schools, recreational areas, and shops.” Cr Diamante added.

The purchase of 576-578 Park Road is part of Council’s long-term planning to replace this important neighbourhood house for Park Orchards.

Neighbourhood houses are predominantly funded by government grants and additional state and commonwealth government funding will be needed to deliver this new community facility.

“We have purchased this property as part of our long-term plan for the community house and local area. We’re pleased to be able to secure a site for a new centre in Park Orchards and will continue to advocate for State and Federal funding to deliver it.”

The purchase was funded by Council’s Strategic Fund which is part of its 10 Year Financial Plan 2024/25 to 2033/34.

For more information, visit Your Say Manningham.

UPDATED: 3 December 2024 

Manningham homeowners can now claim significant subsidies and discounts on high-quality, affordable electrical appliances, rooftop solar, and batteries.

The 2024 Solar Savers program includes subsidies of up to:

These subsidies are only available for products purchased through the Solar Savers program. 

You may also qualify for State and Federal Government rebates.
 

Find out how much you can save

Get a free quote from a trusted source. Your quote will include: 

• indicative costs
• rebates
• expected energy and cost savings.
   

Get a free quote

Why you should make the switch to electric

There are many benefits when you electrify your home:

• Reverse cycle air conditioners are a clean, safe way to heat and cool your home, with lower running costs.
• Modern electric hot water heat pumps are highly efficient and provide low-cost hot water, especially when run with your solar
• With solar, you can reduce energy bills and future-proof against increasing energy costs
• If you already have solar, electrifying your appliances can allow you to maximise your savings

Home electrification helps our community transition towards clean, renewable energy, reducing our environmental impact.  

Visit Electrify Your Life to learn more about going all-electric.

Read our plan to reduce emissions in Manningham: Manningham Climate Emergency Response Plan.

Find out more

To learn how to modernise your home with efficient electric appliances, solar energy, and batteries, you can:

• visit Electrify Your Life for useful links and resources
• visit Solar Savers to register for advice and a free quote
• attend a Solar Savers information session or an Electrify Everything webinar. 
   

Understanding the lived experiences of local residents will be a crucial step to improving road safety in Manningham.

Manningham Council is seeking community input on road safety issues to inform the development of its new 10-year Road Safety Strategy.

Council will use this feedback, along with the latest crash and incident data, and feedback from Victoria Police and other road safety partners to develop the strategy.

Since implementing the previous Road Safety Strategy in 2010, Manningham has seen a downward trend in crash incidents. However, between 2017 and 2023, there were still 409 serious injuries and 11 fatalities on Manningham roads.

"We're striving for vision zero in Manningham, which means nobody is seriously injured or killed on our roads. Because one is one too many," said Manningham Mayor, Councillor Carli Lange.

"We're taking a data-driven approach to road safety. Hearing from our community about their lived experiences is critical to ensure we can draw a bigger picture and help people feel safe on our roads."

Manningham’s previous Road Safety Strategy delivered improvements to infrastructure through the Manningham Bicycle Strategy and roads program. It also supported the ongoing implementation of awareness and behavioural programs such as the Manningham-Whitehorse L2P program and Wise Driver program.

The new strategy will provide a framework and action plan that aligns with the Victorian and National Road Safety Strategies 2021-2030 and adopt Safe System principles to reduce crashes, particularly those involving pedestrians and cyclists. It will consider infrastructure maintenance and improvements, advocacy to state and federal governments, and road safety education and outreach programs.

The Transport Accident Commission is funding the strategy renewal under its Local Government Grant Program.

The community survey will be open until 5.00pm on Monday 17 June.

Council will present the draft strategy for consultation via public exhibition later this year.

For further information, go to yoursay.manningham.vic.gov.au/manningham-road-safety-strategy-2025-2034.