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Greater Bendigo housing target: 2051 target vs approvals

Greater Bendigo’s official 2051 housing target, the yearly pace it implies, and how ABS building approvals in the council compare, month by month.

Greater Bendigo’s final 2051 housing target is 37,000 additional homes (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). Spread evenly over the 28 years from 2023, that is about 1,321 homes a year.

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 885 dwelling approvals in Greater Bendigo: approvals are running at 67% of the pace needed. That is down 4% on the 12 months before.

Updated to Jul 2026 (ABS building approvals), data refreshed 2026-10-07. Targets as set in Plan for Victoria’s final targets, 24 February 2025.

37,000additional homes by 2051 (target)
1,321a year: the even pace the target implies
885dwellings approved in the 12 months to Jul 2026
67%of the pace needed, on the last 12 months

The target is split into 26,000 outside greenfield areas (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026) and 11,000 in greenfield areas (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). The state counts about 54,900 homes in Greater Bendigo in 2023 (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026), so the target would add roughly 67% to the housing stock.

Region: Regional Victoria.

Monthly approvals in Greater Bendigo

Dwelling approvals in Greater Bendigo by monthMonthly dwelling units approved in Greater Bendigo, Jul 2018 to Jul 2026, split into houses and other dwellings, with the 12-month average and a dashed line at the 110 a month the 2051 target implies. The last 12 months total 885. The same figures are in the table that follows.05010015020025020192020202120222023202420252026

Since January 2024, 2,241 dwellings have been approved in Greater Bendigo, about 867 a year, and the three-year average is 827 a year (63% of the pace needed). Extrapolation only: if approvals continued at the last 12 months' pace and every approval became a home (not all do), the remaining target would be reached in about 39 years, around 2065, after 2051.

Of the last 12 months’ approvals, 91% were houses and 9% were other dwellings such as townhouses and apartments.

Dwelling units approved in Greater Bendigo, by financial year
Financial yearHousesOther dwellingsTotal
2018–1983158889
2019–20953471,000
2020–211,268161,284
2021–229231201,043
2022–2366711678
2023–2464098738
2024–25691209900
2025–2676488852
2026–27 (Jul–Jul, 1 months)96298
Last 24 months, month by month
MonthHousesOther dwellingsTotal
Jul 202696298
Jun 20261062108
May 202684791
Apr 202669978
Mar 202675075
Feb 202663063
Jan 202640040
Dec 202540848
Nov 20256442106
Oct 202569877
Sep 202548048
Aug 202553053
Jul 2025531265
Jun 202542042
May 202549655
Apr 2025343569
Mar 20256284146
Feb 202555358
Jan 20255579134
Dec 202432234
Nov 202438038
Oct 202454054
Sep 20241960196
Aug 202434034

Similar councils

Councils in Regional Victoria with the closest target sizes.

Council2051 targetNeeded a yearApproved, last 12 monthsShare of pace needed
Ballarat46,9001,6751,43185%
Greater Bendigo37,0001,32188567%
Baw Baw25,70091858764%
Moorabool20,00071434248%
Bass Coast19,25068839858%

Where in Greater Bendigo the approvals are

Suburbs with the most dwelling approvals since July 2021, when the ABS small-area series starts. Suburb figures are apportioned from ABS SA2 areas, so treat them as indicative.

SuburbDwellings approved since Jul 2021
Huntly653
Strathfieldsaye274
Kangaroo Flat204
Eaglehawk197
Junortoun182
East Bendigo167
Ascot (Greater Bendigo)159
Maiden Gully139

What the target means

The target is the number of additional homes the Victorian Government expects Greater Bendigo to make room for by 2051 (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). Councils do that through their planning controls (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026), and the state says it will intervene, including by rezoning, where councils don’t (Premier of Victoria, verified 27 Sep 2026). The targets were set using access to jobs, services and transport, hazards such as flood and bushfire, and development trends (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026).

Method and limits.

Frequently asked

What is Greater Bendigo's housing target?

Greater Bendigo's final housing target, set by the Victorian Government in February 2025, is 37,000 additional homes by 2051. 11,000 of them are in greenfield areas.

How many homes are being approved in Greater Bendigo?

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 885 dwelling approvals in Greater Bendigo. The even pace the target implies is about 1,321 a year, so approvals are running at 67% of the pace needed.

Does Greater Bendigo have to approve 1,321 homes every year?

No. The target is a long-run total to 2051, not a yearly quota, and councils meet it by providing capacity in their planning controls. The even yearly pace is a yardstick for comparison, not a legal requirement.

Are building approvals the same as new homes?

No. An approval is the permit that lets construction start. Some approved homes are built years later, some never are, and demolished homes aren't subtracted.

Suburbs in Greater Bendigo

Greater Bendigo council overview: median prices for every suburb →

Sources and methodology

Figures on this page are drawn from Delora's local knowledge graph, refreshed from these primary sources and checked for changes on a regular schedule. If a figure here looks out of date, the official source above is always the authority — please let us know.

← All councils’ targets Rezoning tracker → Planning and development guide →
Written by
Delora editorial team
Jurisdiction
Victoria only (Victorian Government targets)
Content type
Data tracker (general information, not advice)
Last reviewed
2026-10-07
Sources
See "Sources and methodology" above for cited sources

Sources on this page last verified against the primary source each figure cites. What “verified” means