An inner-city Melbourne council is set to vote in favour of a move that could result in minimum standards for apartment sizes, amid concerns over the proliferation of "dog-box" apartments across the city.

On Tuesday night, Yarra City Council – which includes the suburbs of Collingwood, Fitzroy and Richmond – will vote on a motion to take the first step towards changing local planning laws to mandate all apartments are built to a minimum floor size.

Mandated minimum floor sizes – a policy supported by many tenants' associations that was implemented in Sydney more than a decade ago – would limit the lucrative practice of developers mass-selling cramped apartments at high profit margins.

Yarra Council is moving towards mandating minimum sizes for apartments. Credit:Craig Abraham

The motion, put forward by councillor Stephen Jolly, will call on council officials to report on the process required to mandate minimum sizes for apartments and recommend the best way to implement the changes.