A new report argues that Melbourne has Australia’s least restrictive planning zones, particularly in areas where three-storey development is allowed or could be facilitated. The report says that making rules more permissive for three-storey construction could potentially unlock millions of additional homes, addressing long-term housing supply constraints. Despite the broader planning framework being described as relatively flexible, the article coverage highlights that some low-rise inner-eastern neighbourhoods continue to experience practical barriers to higher-density development. Residents and local stakeholders in these areas express scepticism that zoning reform alone will translate into more building activity. The stories describe a disconnect between formally permissive planning settings and how planning outcomes can be shaped by local constraints, community opposition, and the interpretation or implementation of development rules. Overall, the reporting presents Melbourne’s planning system as comparatively open compared with other parts of Australia, while also noting that certain established suburban areas remain resistant to change and are perceived as “locked down” in practice.