Under the changes, Melbourne Girls College's enrolment zone would have dramatically shrunk from 2020, excluding almost half of Richmond and parts of Prahran and South Yarra.

Facing a backlash from voters in the marginal seat, the government has moved to neutralise the issue ahead of next year's state election.

Richmond MP and Planning Minister Richard Wynne announced on Wednesday night that he would reinstate the school's existing enrolment boundary.

The initial changes, which were made in response to the opening of a new $43 million co-ed Richmond High School, triggered a groundswell of anger in the inner-city seat of Richmond.

Parents who discovered they would be zoned out complained that their school choice had been taken away.

The Victorian Public Tenants Association said poor students living in public housing would be excluded, and Yarra councillor Stephen Jolly compared the changes to "education apartheid".

Mr Wynne said he contacted Education Minister James Merlino on behalf of concerned families who wanted to retain the existing zone.

"This is about giving Richmond's students the best start in life," he said. "A state-of-the-art new high school and ongoing access to Melbourne Girls College does just that for tomorrow's leaders." He made the announcement at an information evening for the new Richmond High School, which will open its doors to year 7 students next year.

Students at Yarra Primary School in Richmond said they were happy about having a choice of two local schools.

Grade 3 student Alyssa said the changes meant that she would remain in the Melbourne Girls College zone.

"I have heard it is a nice big school where students have fun and do lots of things that I'd be interested in. I'd like to learn science, geometry and lots of maths," she said.

Her classmate Polly said she wanted to attend the swish new Richmond High because it was closer to her home.

Labor is desperately trying to sandbag the inner-city seat against the Greens.

The electorate has become increasingly marginal, and at the last state election Mr Wynne retained the seat by a slim 1.9 per cent.

On Wednesday, Fairfax Media reported that Mr Wynne had stepped in to calm down Fitzroy North residents who were fighting a proposed apartment tower. He placed a 10-storey limit on a former industrial site, upsetting its developer.

Greens leader Greg Barber has previously spoken out against the Melbourne Girls College zone changes, saying that parents in the area had no idea that a new Richmond High meant they would lose access to Melbourne Girls College.

Yarra council passed a motion earlier this month demanding that all students in Richmond, Cremorne and Burnley had access to Melbourne Girls College and Richmond High.