Bridge Road Central is located on north side of Bridge Road between Church Street and Gardner Street. It is the civic and community heart of Bridge Road Activity Centre, anchored by the Richmond Town Hall and close to Citizens Park, the two high schools and other community and recreation facilities. It contains a mix of commercial, retail and residential uses, clusters of heritage buildings and some larger development sites.

Within the precinct, Gleadell Street and Griffiths Street provide important links between Bridge Road and the precinct’s civic and community facilities. 

Through draft Amendment C291yara, Yarra City Council is proposing to apply a new Design and Development Overlay - Schedule 43 (DDO43) to Bridge Road Central.  
DDO43would replace an interim DDO, DDO21, which applies to this precinct and the rest of Bridge Road. 

Built form and design requirements in the DDO relate to front setbacks, street wall height, setbacks for upper levels, building height and transition of potential development towards residential properties at the rear. The DDO also includes requirements and guidelines regarding overshadowing, facade design, transport and access and others.

The amendment also includes new policy which describes the proposed future character of Bridge Road South (see Clause 21.11 – Local Areas).

What is this Design and Development Overlay trying to achieve?

Draft DDO43 generally supports lower mid-rise development up to 5 storeys along Bridge Road so that the local landmarks and the clusters of heritage buildings remain visually prominent. 

It also supports areas of high quality taller development on the larger sites on the north side of Bridge Road up to 7 to 8 storeys.

The DDO requires the heritage street wall / streetscape to be retained. New or infill buildings need to match this 2 to 3 storey height. Any development above the heritage building should be pushed back by at least 6 metres. 

It requires that key views to across the precinct from Citizens Park and the corner of Bridge Road and Church Street to the iconic Richmond landmarks, the Richmond Town Hall and St Ignatius’ spire and belfry are maintained.

Under the DDO, development should be designed to create safe, active and attractive street frontages. 

Development must be designed to make sure buildings retain sunlight to important footpaths along Church Street, Gleadell Street, Griffiths Street, Coppin Street and the southern side of Bridge Road.  

It also aims to make sure new development minimises its amenity impacts on the low scale residential neighbourhoods which abut the Precinct. This includes minimising overlooking, overshadowing and visual bulk.

Further information (Exhibited Documents)

Draft DDO43 and updates to Local Policy are proposed to become part of the Yarra Planning Scheme.

See the following documents for all the details:

Draft DDO43 - Information Sheet – Provides a summary of some requirements and where they apply can be found in the DDO. They are not part of the formal amendment documentation.

Draft DDO43- Formal amendment document and built form and design requirements for the precinct. 

Local Policy 21.12 – Contains the Preferred Future Character Statement for the precinct and other policy.