Suburban Rail Loop announcement raises Bayside concerns

The Suburban Rail Loop announcement has left Bayside Council concerned about transparency and accountability in Victorian Government planning reforms.

Bayside Council concerns over SRL East Cheltenham Station

The issue centres on the finalisation of precinct plans for SRL East (Cheltenham) Station⁠, announced last Friday. Council said it learned of the decision only through a Victorian Government media release.

Planning controls for the Cheltenham station precinct have now been changed. However, Council says it is still waiting for detailed information about increased building heights, the effect on open space, and the infrastructure requirements linked to the plans.

Between July and December 2025, Council made submissions to the Suburban Rail Loop Authority and appeared before the independent Standing Advisory Committee⁠. In that process, it repeatedly raised issues around proposed density, the impact on the amenity of existing communities, the lack of consideration of impacts on existing drainage and transport infrastructure, and the absence of additional open space to service new communities.

Council said it and the community had committed substantial time and resources to the Standing Advisory Committee process. However, the Committee’s findings have not been released by the Minister for Planning.

Planning controls and transparency dispute

The Suburban Rail Loop announcement comes after Council’s legal proceedings against the Victorian Government over the Activity Centres Program⁠. Through that action, Council is seeking access to key documents connected with the government’s decision to overturn planning controls in Bayside suburbs.

Bayside says it is already planning for growth and meeting its housing targets. Council also says every part of Melbourne has a role in housing growth, but development in established areas such as Bayside should be handled through responsible planning, transparent decision-making and proper explanation.

Cr Taylor-Haynes said:

“The manner in which Council was informed of this important decision regarding the Suburban Rail Loop reinforces our concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability around planning reforms,”

“Council and our community continue to be presented with decisions of considerable scale and impact, without clear visibility of the evidence, modelling or consultation that underpins them.”

“We are calling on the Victorian Government to commit to a more transparent and accountable process, one that properly involves Council and provides communities with confidence that decisions are evidence-based, balanced and in the long-term public interest.”

Context

The dispute sits within the wider SRL East structure-planning process. The Victorian Government says structure plans and planning scheme amendments have been approved for the SRL East station areas at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill, with final documents expected on the Department of Transport and Planning website by mid-July 2026. Planning Panels Victoria also lists the Cheltenham precinct advisory committee report as submitted on 20 February 2026, while its release remains TBC and at the discretion of the Minister for Planning.

Next steps for Cheltenham station precinct plans

Council is asking the Victorian Government to publish the detailed information behind its decisions and to engage meaningfully before making further announcements.

Bayside said it will continue to push for a planning process that reflects community needs and ensures decisions are made openly and responsibly.

Council also said it will review the information on the finalised SRL East (Cheltenham) plans once those details are provided.