The analysis assumed lots with heritage protection could not be developed, but the group said it would have more to say about heritage next year.

Proximity to the city and the potential for new housing were the factors most taken into account in the calculations.

The analysis does not include upcoming changes such as the subway tunnel, scheduled to open next year, or the commuter rail loop. It also did not make any adjustments to equipment that might be affected by the planned projects.

Collingwood Station ranks highest, particularly for its connections to local bars, cafes, restaurants and supermarkets. Although the area is largely covered by local heritage rules, YIMBY Melbourne still found 824 residential lots around the station suitable for zoning.

Neighboring North Richmond, West Richmond and Victoria Park stations were also among those deemed most suitable.

Yarra, Darebin, Banyule, Merri-bek, Boroondara and Stonnington local government areas topped the YIMBY list. Eighteen of the 25 stations identified are served by the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines, including those furthest from the city center such as Thornbury, Ivanhoe and Heidelberg.

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South Yarra, Richmond and North Melbourne were excluded from the list because the extremely high frequency of trains skewed the data set, but could be prioritized first, the group said.

Paul Spasojevic, lead researcher on YIMBY Melbourne’s ‘next 25 years’ analysis, said government, councils and planners needed to communicate better and weigh trade-offs as Melbourne grew.

“Better, more transparent policy relies heavily on measurement and visualization,” he said.

Allan has not yet specified how high residential construction could reach in the final 50 activity centers as this will be based on consultation. But housing in the top 10 should be limited to between three and 20 stories, with lower heights allowed on nearby streets.

Matthew Bowes, an associate in the Grattan Institute’s housing and economic security program, said details on how activity centers interacted with heritage rules and minimum parking requirements would be essential.

“Those kinds of details are really important in determining how feasible the development of these centers will be and how easy it will be to create affordable apartments,” Bowes said.

“Ultimately, if there’s one message that comes out of the work that YIMBY Melbourne is doing, for me, it’s that there are actually a lot of great places that could be improved.”

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YIMBY Melbourne lead organizer Jonathan O’Brien said the government’s ambition was admirable.

“What our research shows is that it could be doubled,” O’Brien said.

“Now is the time to see them delivered in a way that makes building much easier and paves the way for more housing where people want to live.”