City North's Melbourne Innovation District is touted to be one of the city's most exciting precincts, but to reach its “full potential” the City of Melbourne needs a strategic re-planning. I agreed that it was necessary.
Stretching between RMIT's Swanston Street Campus and the University of Melbourne Parkville, this precinct is home to innovative infrastructure projects and internationally acclaimed education and research facilities.
The vision set out in the City North Opportunity Plan for the Melbourne Innovation District in 2020 is to build on the city's unique characteristics to improve education and economic outcomes, while leveraging emerging technology and innovation. It's a thing.
But the council's successor planning portfolio leader, Cr Rohan Leppert, says the state government's strategic plan for the area needs to evolve to ensure it realizes its full potential.
Speaking at the last Melbourne Futures Commission (FMC) meeting on September 10, he said the government needed to understand how these places could evolve and what their role could be. said it was necessary.
Councilors unanimously supported Cr Leppert's final motion to re-scope the borough's strategic planning work, including shelving outdated and unfinished planning scheme amendments.
Amendment C431 was first drafted in 2021, with City of Melbourne's annual plan this year pledging to bring the amendment forward, in addition to working with the Victorian Government to “advance strategic opportunities” did.
The basis for this amendment was the requirement for research and innovation jobs to be located on the first four floors of all new buildings.
CBD News has learned that the intention, when proposed, was to fast-track amendments to the planning scheme and implement them well in advance of the opening of the two new metro stations at City North, Parkville and State Library. I understand.
With that window now closed and no draft submitted to the FMC, Cr Leppert said the opportunity for the amendments to be implemented had passed and the amendments had been superseded by the Urban Planning Strategy.
According to a revised analysis document submitted on September 10, how the management of the “first four floors” would work for a university campus comprised of mostly purpose-built, single-use buildings. It was unknown.
The report noted that based on preliminary feedback from the Ministry of Transport and Planning, the draft amendments were unlikely to be supported.
Projects within the district will now be required to comply with the City Planning Strategy, which sets out the municipality's comprehensive strategic planning policy.
The Strategy considers the context, history, assets, strengths, attributes and influences that shape the City of Melbourne and establishes a vision and strategic direction for future land use and development.
“Now is the time to rethink what is the most efficient thing that government can do, rather than just delivering on five years of action,” Cr Leppert said.
The council will prioritize a new short-term strategic plan and public realm projects for the City North Innovation District, which will be delivered through partnership with the state government and key stakeholders. •
