Melbourne shows Australia's most open planning zones nationally. Yet specific suburbs stay effectively locked down under current rules. This finding arrived via a zoning scorecard covered by The Age, ABC News, and the Canberra Times. The report identifies the simplest 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 suggests that general policy does not always match local reality in every area. Local people in certain zones face strict limits on building or altering homes while other parts continue open for development. This divide raises challenges for those seeking affordable housing options across the city.