Urban renewal project a game-changer for Melbourne CBD
Australia's largest urban renewal project, Fishermans Bend, has today seen the draft vision and design guidelines released, detailing the scope of the project.
Premier Denis Napthine and minister for planning Matthew Guy announced the release of the guidelines, and said that it would allow for the continued growth of Melbourne's CBD, connecting it to the south-west.
The project includes 250 hectares of land, and expects that within 40 years it could accommodate 80,000 residents and a workplace for 40,000.
Within the next 10 years, Places Victoria expects $2 billion of private investment and 13,500 construction jobs to be delivered.
“It is incredible to think how the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area has the capacity to accommodate a population approaching the size of Ballarat or Bendigo on the doorstep of the existing CBD,” Napthine said.
“The colocation of residents and jobs in an area only minutes from the existing CBD will be a major boost for the state’s productivity and economic growth over the next 50 years."
Sydney and Brisbane, said Napthine, can 'only dream' about planning a project of this type.
The project has been developed with the support of the City of Melbourne and the City of Port Phillip, said Guy.
“The Fishermans Bend project will set the standard for urban renewal across Melbourne and Australia over the next three decades, bringing thousands of new residents to areas close to jobs, transport and Australia’s greatest cultural heart," he said.
“When looking at the plan it is clear that a number of precincts will develop to include low rise family friendly housing, medium scale development, and high density development around a future transport corridor and new employment hubs."
There will be mechanisms involved for the delivery of affordable housing.
“The Vision documentation and design guidelines will set new standards in urban renewal including requirements for open space provision, setbacks on towers above podiums, a network of laneways and density in locations that respects existing residents,” Guy said.
The plan for the area has previously been slammed by an RMIT planning professor as the "world's worst practice" in terms of development.
Public comments and submissions are open until 22 November 2013, with a final structure plan expected to be released early next year. The plans are available on the Places Victoria website.
