How the Suburban Rail Loop will change Melbourne

It’s been revealed that the state government plans to squeeze a million extra people into 15 new precincts around Suburban Rail Loop stations.

How that will happen is not yet clear, with the Andrews government today under fire for failing to reveal the planning rules that will apply near the new stations.

Professor of public transport at Monash University’s Faculty of Engineering, Graham Currie, says more high rise buildings in the suburbs will be necessary to accommodate population forecasts for Melbourne.

Press PLAY below to hear what the plan will mean for suburban Melbourne

“Whether we like it or not, if Melbourne is going to be the same size as London we’re going to have a whole lot of urban development,” he told Ross and Russel.

Professor Currie says while investment like the development of higher density housing along the Suburban Rail Loop is necessary, he says “we certainly could have done with some better planning if we’re going to spend such a huge amount of money”.

“I’m an advocate for good planning and I do think investment of that nature is the type of thing we need to be a London or a Tokyo.”

Image: Victorian Government