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Port Phillip housing target: 2051 target vs approvals

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

Port Phillip’s final 2051 housing target is 55,000 additional homes (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). Spread evenly over the 28 years from 2023, that is about 1,964 homes a year.

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 895 dwelling approvals in Port Phillip: approvals are running at 46% of the pace needed. That is down 55% 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.

55,000additional homes by 2051 (target)
1,964a year: the even pace the target implies
895dwellings approved in the 12 months to Jul 2026
46%of the pace needed, on the last 12 months

The state counts about 65,800 homes in Port Phillip in 2023 (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026), so the target would add roughly 84% to the housing stock.

Region: Metropolitan Melbourne.

Monthly approvals in Port Phillip

Dwelling approvals in Port Phillip by monthMonthly dwelling units approved in Port Phillip, Jul 2018 to Jul 2026, split into houses and other dwellings, with the 12-month average and a dashed line at the 164 a month the 2051 target implies. The last 12 months total 895. The same figures are in the table that follows.02004006008001,00020192020202120222023202420252026

Since January 2024, 3,418 dwellings have been approved in Port Phillip, about 1,323 a year, and the three-year average is 1,418 a year (72% 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 58 years, around 2084, after 2051.

Of the last 12 months’ approvals, 3% were houses and 97% were other dwellings such as townhouses and apartments.

Dwelling units approved in Port Phillip, by financial year
Financial yearHousesOther dwellingsTotal
2018–1951694745
2019–20381,1321,170
2020–21371,1611,198
2021–2224756780
2022–23211,1301,151
2023–24301,3081,338
2024–25301,9902,020
2025–2622706728
2026–27 (Jul–Jul, 1 months)2167169
Last 24 months, month by month
MonthHousesOther dwellingsTotal
Jul 20262167169
Jun 2026358
May 20263110113
Apr 2026101
Mar 202636366
Feb 20262234236
Jan 2026000
Dec 202524345
Nov 2025303
Oct 20251245246
Sep 2025246
Aug 2025202
Jul 2025022
Jun 2025202
May 2025404
Apr 2025303
Mar 2025145
Feb 20256571577
Jan 20251243244
Dec 20242454456
Nov 2024022
Oct 2024505
Sep 20242660662
Aug 202424345

Similar councils

Councils in Metropolitan Melbourne with the closest target sizes.

Council2051 targetNeeded a yearApproved, last 12 monthsShare of pace needed
Brimbank59,5002,12567032%
Port Phillip55,0001,96489546%
Greater Dandenong52,5001,87560832%
Kingston51,5001,83949227%
Stonnington50,0001,78680745%

Where in Port Phillip 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
Port Melbourne2,727
Albert Park1,127
South Melbourne664
St Kilda584
Middle Park334
St Kilda East245
Elwood124
Balaclava78

What the target means

The target is the number of additional homes the Victorian Government expects Port Phillip 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 Port Phillip's housing target?

Port Phillip's final housing target, set by the Victorian Government in February 2025, is 55,000 additional homes by 2051.

How many homes are being approved in Port Phillip?

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 895 dwelling approvals in Port Phillip. The even pace the target implies is about 1,964 a year, so approvals are running at 46% of the pace needed.

Does Port Phillip have to approve 1,964 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 Port Phillip

Port Phillip 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