MCG's decking proposal could be the catalyst for Fed Square East?

A topic which rears its head at least once a year is the decking of the Jolimont railyards as a means of providing a stronger connection between the Melbourne CBD and the Yarra River, while adding to the city's open space network.

Announced during last week's sporting investment by the State Government was a $1b proposal to deck the rail corridor between the MCG and Melbourne Park, and unite the two halves of Melbourne's Sporting Precinct.

The feasibility study - which investigated a range of options for how this might be achieved - was initiated and funded by the Melbourne Cricket Club and the MCG Trust as part of a strategy to address safety and security concerns. However, during extensive consultation with multiple key stakeholders ultimately evolved into a study for a range of development options within the precinct.

The study has been tabled with the Victorian Government for consideration as they assess the future vision of Melbourne and the sporting precinct, but at this point in time no funding has been requested, according to the MCG Trust.

Among the concepts being considered as part of a two-stage proposal are:

• Elevated pedestrian paths stretching from the MCG to Richmond Station, designed to separate pedestrians and vehicles, and to improve traffic flows.
• Decking of the railway tracks between the MCG and Melbourne and Olympic Park, with open space able to be utilised for live sites and event activation.
• Creation of new public open space, parkland and other facilities to service the precinct.

The development, if it were to proceed, would unite the two halves of the sporting precinct, currently divided by the Jolimont rail corridor, to enable greater utilisation of the precinct, attract more and better events to Melbourne and continue to generate a public legacy for the city well into the future.

- MCG Trust

If indeed the project proceeds within the next decade as envisioned, options should be explored for the remainder of the Jolimont rail corridor from the MCG through to Fed Square. During its tenure, the former Napthine Government invited interested parties to submit proposals for what is known as Fed Square East, which was eventually abandoned under the Andrews Government.

The Fed Square East site comprises a total of 3.3 hectares, with approximately 2.3 hectares located above rail lines and one hectare largely used for car parking. It is bounded by Federation Square/Russell Street to the west, Flinders Street to the north, Batman Avenue to the east and Birrarung Marr to the south.

The successful proponent's scheme would effectively replace another design conceived by LAB Architecture and OCULUS Landscape Architecture and Urban Design for a key piece of public infrastructure, with vital open space and an extension of Fed Square.

Due to the complexities of decking over the live rail corridor, private investment was sought by the Napthine Government for what would otherwise be a costly exercise for any Government to undertake. As such intense development was expected with the balance of the site dedicated to the public realm with the potential for high-rise commercial and residential towers and development extending beyond Batman Avenue down to the Sporting precinct.

The now-adopted C270 amendment within the capital city zone effectively renders any such plan redundant, with building heights capped due to overshadowing controls for Main Beach meaning any significant and intensive high-rise development would need to occur east of Batman Avenue and along the southern edge of Flinders/Wellington Streets.

Keep an eye out for a future Urban.com.au that will look at a study for the rail corridor between Fed Square and the MCG.