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Merri-bek housing target: 2051 target vs approvals

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

Merri-bek’s final 2051 housing target is 69,000 additional homes (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). Spread evenly over the 28 years from 2023, that is about 2,464 homes a year.

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 1,392 dwelling approvals in Merri-bek: approvals are running at 56% of the pace needed. That is down 15% 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.

69,000additional homes by 2051 (target)
2,464a year: the even pace the target implies
1,392dwellings approved in the 12 months to Jul 2026
56%of the pace needed, on the last 12 months

The state counts about 81,000 homes in Merri-bek in 2023 (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026), so the target would add roughly 85% to the housing stock.

Region: Metropolitan Melbourne.

Monthly approvals in Merri-bek

Dwelling approvals in Merri-bek by monthMonthly dwelling units approved in Merri-bek, Jul 2018 to Jul 2026, split into houses and other dwellings, with the 12-month average and a dashed line at the 205 a month the 2051 target implies. The last 12 months total 1,392. The same figures are in the table that follows.020040060080020192020202120222023202420252026

Since January 2024, 3,414 dwellings have been approved in Merri-bek, about 1,322 a year, and the three-year average is 1,310 a year (53% 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 47 years, around 2073, after 2051.

Of the last 12 months’ approvals, 21% were houses and 79% were other dwellings such as townhouses and apartments.

Dwelling units approved in Merri-bek, by financial year
Financial yearHousesOther dwellingsTotal
2018–192669871,253
2019–201921,2251,417
2020–212559411,196
2021–222252,2922,517
2022–232061,4731,679
2023–24217682899
2024–252561,4081,664
2025–262691,0461,315
2026–27 (Jul–Jul, 1 months)3868106
Last 24 months, month by month
MonthHousesOther dwellingsTotal
Jul 20263868106
Jun 2026275986
May 202622103125
Apr 202625335360
Mar 2026234366
Feb 2026215778
Jan 2026181230
Dec 2025206888
Nov 202527105132
Oct 202515160175
Sep 2025303666
Aug 2025265480
Jul 2025151429
Jun 2025227799
May 2025284371
Apr 202515270285
Mar 2025256489
Feb 202515365380
Jan 2025151328
Dec 2024135467
Nov 202426323349
Oct 20242786113
Sep 2024203353
Aug 2024294170

Similar councils

Councils in Metropolitan Melbourne with the closest target sizes.

Council2051 targetNeeded a yearApproved, last 12 monthsShare of pace needed
Whittlesea72,0002,5712,639103%
Monash69,5002,4821,27051%
Darebin69,0002,4641,20849%
Merri-bek69,0002,4641,39256%
Mitchell66,0002,3571,01643%

Where in Merri-bek 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
Brunswick2,104
Coburg1,775
Glenroy876
Brunswick East747
Pascoe Vale693
Brunswick West396
Fawkner380
Oak Park308

What the target means

The target is the number of additional homes the Victorian Government expects Merri-bek 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 Merri-bek's housing target?

Merri-bek's final housing target, set by the Victorian Government in February 2025, is 69,000 additional homes by 2051.

How many homes are being approved in Merri-bek?

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 1,392 dwelling approvals in Merri-bek. The even pace the target implies is about 2,464 a year, so approvals are running at 56% of the pace needed.

Does Merri-bek have to approve 2,464 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 Merri-bek

Merri-bek 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