Why have you prepared this amendment?

Our planning scheme includes state and local planning policies which direct new housing and commercial growth to activity centres like Queens Parade so that we can meet our future demands for housing and employment. 

What does the amendment do?

The amendment proposes to:

• Introduce a Design and Development Overlay (Schedule 16) into the Yarra Planning Scheme to control heights and setbacks of new development.
• Rezone land on the corner of Smith Street and Queens Parade from Commercial 2 to Commercial 1 which allows for housing to be built
• Apply the Environment Audit Overlay to the land that is proposed for rezoning to manage potential land contamination issues, and
• Update the Heritage Overlay.

Exhibition of the amendment and consideration of submissions

The amendment was exhibited for two months in October and November 2018.  We received around 400 submissions, mostly from residents.

Council heard from submitters at a Special Council Meeting on 12 March 2019. Council considered the officer response to submissions at a meeting on 28 May 2019 and resolved to request that the Minister for Planning appoint an independent planning panel to hear submissions. Council also resolved to endorse the recommended changes to the amendment including the Preferred Version of the DDO schedule. 

Panel hearing

The panel sat for 12 days between 12 August and 2 September 2019.

Panel report

The panel recommended adoption of the amendment largely as exhibited with some changes to the DDO. The panel report is available by clicking on the link. A copy of the panel's version of the DDO is also available by clicking on the link.

Adoption of Amendment C231 (Parts 1, 2 and 3)

Council adopted Parts 1 and 3 of the amendment with changes on 17 March 2020.

Council considered the amendment over two meetings 

• 25 February 2020 - The purpose of the first meeting was to ensure that any person who wishes to speak to the issue at the council meeting in accordance with normal meeting procedure rules was able to do so. 31 people spoke at this meeting
• 17 March 2020 - The purpose of the second meeting was to enable council to formally consider the report and officer recommendations before determining whether to adopt the amendment, with or without changes, or abandon it.

At the 17 March 2020 Council meeting, the amendment was split into three parts.

 Parts 1 and 3 deal with the majority of the amendment except for the controls which affect land at 390A Queens Parade. The land at 390A Queens Parade forms Part 2 of the amendment.

Council did not consider Part 2 of the amendment because the land at 390A Queens Parade was the subject of an application to VCAT under Section 39 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

At the time of the Council meeting on 17 March 2020, a decision from VCAT had not yet been received. As a result, Council resolved to defer consideration of Part 2 of the amendment until after the outcome of the VCAT decision was known.

On 2 June 2020, Council adopted the controls (with changes) for the land at 390A Queens Parade, Fitzroy North. 

Council received the VCAT decision in late April and the appeal was dismissed, enabling Council to consider this final part of the amendment. 

All three parts of amendment have been forwarded to the Minister for Planning for approval. If approved and gazetted they will become part of the planning scheme and replace the interim controls. 

What stage is the amendment at? 

Parts 1, 2 and 3 of Amendment C231 have been lodged with the Minister for Planning for approval. 

 

How can I get more information?

There is a range of information below that supports the amendment. There is also information that was presented at the planning panel.

For assistance and more information about the amendment, please contact Yarra City Council on 03 9205 5555 or info@yarracity.vic.gov.au

Statutory exhibition documents

Please note these are the exhibition documents. Council’s adopted version of the amendment may differ and is outlined in the relevant Council Report and minutes.

• C231 explanatory report
• C231 instruction sheet (outlines changes to the planning scheme)
• Clause 22.02 – heritage policy (updates list of reference documents)
• Clause 43.02s – schedule 16 to the design and development overlay (DDO16)
• Clause 43.01s – schedule to the heritage overlay (HO)
• C231 incorporated document – appendix 8
• Queens Parade built form framework – Hansen Partnership
• Queens Parade built form heritage review – GJM Heritage Consultants
• Queens Parade built form heritage review - appendix H - GJM Heritage Consultants

Amendment C231 exhibition maps

• Yarra zone map 2
• Yarra HO map 2 deletions
• Yarra HO map 2 deletions
• Yarra HO map 2
• Yarra HO map 2
• Yarra HO map 2
• Yarra EAO map 2
• Yarra DDO map 1
• Yarra DDO map 2

Council submission to the planning panel

You can read copies of the statements by clicking the link below. 

• Yarra City Council Part A submission
• Yarra City Council Part B submission
• Yarra City Council Part C submission
• Urban Design evidence prepared by Larry Parsons of Ethos Urban
• Heritage evidence prepared by Jim Gard'ner of GJM Heritage
• Heritage evidence prepared by David Helms Heritage Planning
• Planning evidence prepared by Sarah Ancell of Echelon Planning
• Economic evidence prepared by Andrew Spencer of SGS Economics and Planning
• Traffic evidence prepared by Charmaine Dunstan of Traffix Group (Part 1 of 2)
• Traffic appendices prepared by Charmaine Dunstan (Part 2 of 2)

Videos of the model relied upon in Council's urban design evidence

Part of Council's urban design evidence relied on the model prepared by Ethos Urban. They prepared videos of the model for each precinct that were shown to the panel.

 

Submitter expert witness statements

• Heritage evidence prepared by Nigel Lewis Pty Ltd
• Heritage appendices prepared by Nigel Lewis Pty Ltd
• Urban Design evidence prepared by James Holdsworth Architect and Urban Designer
• Planning and Urban Design evidence prepared by Catherine Heggan of Message Consultants
• Urban Design evidence in relation to 15-33 Queens Parade prepared by Julia Bell of David Lock and Associates
• Urban Design evidence in relation to 267-271 Queens Parade prepared by Julia Bell of David Lock and Associates
• Urban Design Appendix prepared by Julia Bell of David Lock and Associates

Relevant links

• Housing strategy
• Spatial economic and employment strategy
• Posters distributed at information session

Past Council reports and minutes

• 2 June 2020 Council report and minutes – Council considered the Panel Report and officer recommendations for Part 2 of the amendment and adopted Part 2 with changes.  
• 17 March 2020 Council report and minutes – Council considered the Panel Report and officer recommendations and determined to spilt the amendment into three parts and adopt Parts 1 and 3 of the amendment with changes.
• 25 February 2020 report and minutes – Council heard from any person who wished to speak to the issue in accordance with normal meeting procedure rules.
• 28 May 2019 Council report and minutes – Council considered officer responses to submissions and decided to refer the submissions to an independent planning panel appointed by the Minister for Planning.
• 12 March 2019 Council report and minutes – Council heard from any person who wished to speak to the issue.
• 19 December 2017 Council report and minutes – Council resolved (amongst other things) to seek authorisation from the Minister for Planning to prepare Amendment C231.
• Amendment C231 Queens Parade FAQs