Mr Guy gave 87 buildings heritage overlay protection but will further review 10 buildings considered important by Melbourne City Council. Nine of them are from the post-war period.

Melbourne City Council requested that the minister approve 97 buildings for protection. The proection requires that developers and planning authorities consider the historic significance of the buildings. The 10 missing include examples of Brutalist, Moderne and Modernist era buildings in the Hoddle grid of the CBD.

Mr Guy refused to give an opinion on the architectural styles but has previously said he did not want to see the city "awash with structures built in the 1950s".

"I have approved more buildings for protection in one hit than any other minister," Mr Guy said.

"The 10, some of which are Brutalist architecture, will be subject to further review. Some of them are questionable in their architectural significance to the city," he said.

Mr Guy said he might decide after the Heritage Victoria review to protect all 10.

He said the dilapidated Argus building on La Trobe Street was one of his favourites.

Mr Guy said he took advice from Heritage Victoria on whether to separately consider the 10 buildings.

But Paul Roser, conservation manager for the National Trust of Australia, Victoria, said the planning process was thorough and the 10 buildings had survived an independent panel only to be knocked from the list by the minister.

"It is not just about pretty buildings," Mr Roser said.

"He has chosen to take advice from Heritage Victoria rather than from an independent panel that has thoroughly reviewed every one of those 97 buildings."

Mr Roser said one of the buildings on the list to be reviewed was the Royal Assurance building at 430-422 Collins Street, which won a Victorian architecture award in 1967.

"We welcome the fact that 87 are being added because this is the first time a major heritage amendment has been made in three decades to the city. It has been a very long time coming," Mr Roser said.

He said the decision left those buildings vulnerable to developers.

Mr Roser said just three buildings in the CBD from the post-war period were protected – ICI House, BHP House and Eagle House in Bourke Street.

Melbourne Heritage Action group president Rupert Mann said Mr Guy’s intervention was "arrogant".

"We wonder whether he is leaving the door ajar in the hope that these significant parts of Melbourne's architectural heritage are pulled down," Mr Mann said.

Jerome Miller, who runs architecture tours for Meltours, said Melbourne had lost many buildings through architectural fashions that today could be considered aesthetically pleasing.

"It is hard to say what tastes will be like in 30 or 40 years," Mr Miller said.

‘‘The Forum Theatre would have been talked about in the same way as Federation Square’s buildings in its day. It is still a different design but much loved now."

Melbourne City councillor Jackie Watts criticised Mr Guy for  not adding all 97 buildings.

"It is a slap in the face to the City of Melbourne and to the experts who have thoroughly studied and considered these buildings," Cr Watts said.

She also criticised Mr Guy for calling  Lord Mayor Robert Doyle on Tuesday night to tell him of the decision, saying it was not "due process".

Mr Guy said the call was "polite" and dismissed her criticism saying he had already signed the planning scheme amendment.

Not yet protected

• Grange Lynne factory, 185-187 A'Beckett Street*
• Hoyts Mid City, 194-200 Bourke Street
• London Assurance House, 468-470 Bourke Street
• Atlas Assurance Co building, 404-406 Collins Street
• Royal Assurance Group building, 430-422 Collins Street
• National Mutual Life Centre (AXA), 435-455 Collins Street
• ES & A Bank building, 453-457 Elizabeth Street
• Former CBA branch building, 463-465 Elizabeth Street
• Former RACV headquarters, 111-129 Queen Street
• Dillingham Estates House, 114-128 William Street

*Not post-war - built in 1937.