The Victorian state government has approved an 80-hectare activity centre for Coburg in Melbourne’s inner north that facilitates development, paving the way for projects worth around $1 billion to go ahead.
The amendment to the area’s planning scheme was introduced by Moreland City Council late last year, and is designed to prescribe maximum height controls and setback requirements, introduce built form controls and set out key public spaces in the new development zone. The former Pentridge Prison precinct makes up around 16 hectares of the activity centre area.
According to planning minister Richard Wynne, around $460 million of private development and $500 million of community facilities and infrastructure projects are expected in the area over the next 20 years. Projects that have been proposed within the activity centre include a $280 million private hospital on Bell Street and an $80 million development at the former site of Coburg High School.
One of the most significant projects in the area is a $1 billion urban renewal plan for a new neighbourhood. The neighbourhood, Coburg Quarter, has been master planned and designed by architecture practice Rothelowman Architects. The development is situated within the Pentridge Prison precinct and will include both commercial and residential zones, and a community hub with an outdoor cinema, bars, markets and restaurants.
Coburg is around eight kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, and much of the development activity will centre around Bell Street and Sydney Road.
The planning minister said the changes would stimulate the area’s economy by encouraging investment and new jobs, and by giving residents better access to public transport, retail, community and recreational facilities. He also said that the activity centre’s capacity to provide housing would reduce urban sprawl on the city’s fringes.
“We’re planning for Melbourne’s future growth through smart and sustainable development. Clear plans will allow for Coburg to retain its character and liveability while encouraging future housing and economic growth,” Wynne said.
“Rezoning land for activity centres identifies the best locations for development, giving business, investors and residents certainty about how suburbs will evolve over time.”
As part of the changes, Moreland City Council has been granted the authority for assessing planning applications for the former Pentridge Prison site.
