Melbourne mayor backs converting offices into apartments in bid to boost housing supply

Melbourne lord mayor Nicholas Reece says that if re-elected he will introduce incentives for developers to turn empty office buildings into flats. Photograph: ymgerman/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Victoria’s planning minister says she is open to speaking to councils that want to convert offices into apartments after Melbourne’s lord mayor touted the idea as a way to boost housing supply.

Nicholas Reece told the Age on Thursday that if voted in at October’s council elections he would introduce incentives to encourageturning office buildings into apartments.