The owners of Harry the Hirer at 81-95 Burnley Street and 26 Doonside Street, Richmond (Astrodome Hire Pty Ltd) have approached Yarra Council to amend the planning controls on their land. This would enable them to build a residential and commercial development at the site.
An amendment to the Yarra Planning Scheme, known as Amendment C223, is needed in order to change the planning controls on this land.
Find out more about amendments on our Planning Scheme Amendments page.
What stage is this amendment at and what are the next steps?
There are six stages in a Planning Scheme Amendment, C223 has reached the final stage of the process and the Minister for Planning has approved the Amendment.
The Amendment came into effect when the Notice of Approval was published in the Victorian Government Gazette on 6 May 2021.
Approved Amendment Documents
You can find approved amendment documentation on the State Government's webpage.
Land affected by Amendment C223
Why have we prepared this Amendment?
The planning scheme zones all land to reflect different land uses. These zones categorize how land is used and there are specific rules related to each zone.
The current zoning for the land at 81-85 Burnley Street and 26 Doonside Street is the Industrial 3 Zone, which is out of step with the surrounding area and vision set out in the Victoria Street Structure Plan (PDF 4.2MB) and Yarra Planning Scheme. The Structure Plan identifies the area including this land for potential housing mixed with retail and business.
Amendment C223 allows for the land to be used and developed for a mix-use of residences and employment opportunities, both retail and commercial. The amendment will apply planning controls to ensure there are key public benefits in any redevelopment on this land. The amendment will also apply planning controls to manage traffic, address contamination, promote heritage and provide built form guidance for any future development
What does Amendment C223 propose to do
The amendment proposes:
- Rezone the land from Industrial 3 Zone (IN3Z) to Mixed Use Zone (MUZ).
- Applies the Development Plan Overlay Schedule 15 (DPO15) to the land.
- Applies an Environmental Audit Overlay (EAO) to the land.
What is an Environment Audit Overlay (EAO)?
The Minister for Planning has provided direction to local councils when amending the planning scheme to ensure potential land contamination is properly managed. An EAO indicates that an environmental audit must be carried out before land is developed. The application of the EAO is required to manage any site contamination issues prior to a sensitive use (such as building housing, a primary school or early childcare centre) commencing on the land. This ensures that any site contamination issues are managed before redevelopment.
What is the Development Plan Overlay Schedule 15 (DPO15)?
A Development Plan Overlay (DPO) requires a development plan to be prepared to coordinate land uses, development and redevelopment change. The overlay prevents the granting of permits before a plan has been approved, with some exceptions. Any development plan must be adopted by Council to come into effect.
What does the proposed DPO15 for this site allow?
DPO15 includes an indicative framework plan that sets out the structure for future development and land use. A future development plan cannot be approved if it is not prepared in line with this plan.
The indicative framework plan for 81-95 Burnley and 26 Doonside Street, Richmond allows:
- Around 500 dwellings in six buildings, ranging in height between 7 storeys fronting Appleton Street and up to 12 storeys along Doonside Street.
- 576 square metres of public open space facing Doonside Street.
- A 9-metre wide pedestrian link which runs through the site from Doonside Street to Appleton Street.
- 10% of dwellings to be for affordable housing.
- Retention of heritage buildings including the entire building at 26 Doonside Street.
- At least 9,000 square metres of commercial/ retail floor space (part of which will see the Harry the Hirer administrative headquarters remain on-site).
Panel Hearing
The Hearing commenced on 18 May 2020 and was held across 6 and a half days.
The Hearing was held via video conferencing and 'on papers' due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information on this altered panel process please refer to the Panel Directions below.
Panel Report
Download the Yarra C223yara Panel Report (PDF 1.2MB).
Council's Part A submission and other documents
The following documents were circulated on Thursday 7 May 2020.
You can view the document by clicking on the link below:
- Part A Submission Amendment C223yara to the Yarra Planning Scheme 7 May 2020 (PDF 718kB).
- Response to direction 3a epanel book (PDF 695 kB).
- Response to direction 3b (PDF 439 kB).
- Email letter to Panel and parties 7 May 2020 (PDF 222 kB).
Council Expert Witness Evidence
Council's expert witness statements were circulated on Monday, 11 May 2020.
You can view the documents by clicking on the links below.
- Charmaine Dunstan's expert evidence for Council traffic (PDF 6MB)
- Jim Gardner's expert evidence for Council heritage (PDF 2MB)
- Joanna Thompson's expert evidence for Council open space (PDF 4.8MB).
- Rob McGauran's expert evidence for Council urban design (PDF 2.7MB).
Expert Witness Statements
Proponent
- Statement of Mr Barlow (PDF 3.6kB).
- Statement of Mr Lovell (PDF 4.2MB).
- Statement of Mr Raworth (PDF 10.2MB).
- Statement of Ms Heggen (PDF 5.7MB).
- Statement of Ms Jordan (PDF 19.4MB).
- Statement of Ms Marshall (PDF 3MB).
Council's Part B
Part B Submission Amendment C223yara to the Yarra Planning Scheme 15 May 2020 (PDF 1.2MB).
Amendment C223 formal exhibition documents
- Notice of amendment (PDF 162kB).
- Explanatory Report (PDF 295kB).
- Instruction Sheet (PDF 83kB).
- Fact Sheet (PDF 543kB).
- Rezoning Map (PDF 250kB).
- Development Plan Overlay Map (PDF 222kB).
- Environmental Audit Overlay Map (PDF 262kB).
- Clause 43.04 – Schedule 15 to Development Plan Overlay (PDF 571kB).
Supporting documents
- Economic Assessment Report December 2018 (PDF 4.8MB).
- Environmental Sustainable Development Report December 2018 (PDF 1.9MB).
- Heritage Report December 2018 (PDF 4.9MB).
- Planning Scheme Amendment Report December 2018 (PDF 65MB).
- Traffic Impact Report December 2018 (PDF 3.9MB).
- Environmental Site Assessment Report May 2016 (PDF 7MB).
- Housing Diversity Report May 2019 (PDF 358kB).
Additional information requested during exhibition
- Amendment C223 Traffix Peer Review (PDF 446kB).