Melbourne holds Australia's lightest planning zones nationally. Yet individual suburbs stay effectively locked down under current rules. This finding comes from a zoning scorecard covered by The Age, ABC News, and the Canberra Times. The report identifies the most friendly city nationally for housing approvals and the most restrictive. It frames a mixed picture for Melbourne where broad leniency coexists with pockets of tight residential controls. The data shows that general policy does not always match local reality in every area. Residents in certain zones face strict limits on building or altering homes while other parts stay open for development. This divide generates challenges for those seeking affordable housing options across the city.