Victoria Street West provides the entry to the Victoria Street Activity Centre. The distinctive sense of arrival is created by the Victoria Street Gateway in the centre of Victoria Street. 

The precinct’s character and sense of place is defined by the intact heritage streetscape on the northern side which is bookended by the prominent former State Savings Bank on the corner, and low-rise heritage dwellings along Regent Street. The southern corner contains a large potential redevelopment site fronting Hoddle Street. 

Through draft Amendment C291yara, Yarra City Council is proposing to apply a new Design and Development Overlay - Schedule 46 (DDO46) to Victoria Street #.  

DDO46would replace an interim DDO, DDO22, which applies to this precinct and the rest of Victoria Street. 

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 Victoria Street West (see Clause 21.11 – Local Areas).

What is this Design and Development Overlay trying to achieve?

The requirements in Draft Design and Development Overlay – Schedule 46 (DDO46) are driven by the Precinct’s highly intact heritage streetscapes and heritage buildings. 

In DDO46, new development needs to ensure heritage buildings and the highly intact heritage streetscape remain highly visible. 

DDO46 generally supports lower mid-rise development up to 3-5 storeys. It 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. In some cases, this is greater where building heights are taller. 

It also aims to respect and provide a transition to low scale heritage buildings along Regent Street. Tailored heights and upper level setbacks of 7m from the front of the buildings apply to the low scale heritage properties.

It also supports high quality taller development on the south-west corner of Hoddle and Victoria Street of up to 9-10 storeys.

Under the DDO, development should be designed to create safe, active and attractive street frontages. Development must be designed to make sure it does not overshadow the southern side of Victoria Street and the open space opposite the Victoria Street Gateway. 

Further information (Exhibited Documents)

Draft DDO46 and updates to Local Policy are proposed to become part of the Yarra Planning Scheme.

See the following documents for all the details:

Draft DDO46 - 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 DDO46 - Formal amendment document and built form and design requirements for the precinct.  Read the entire DDO here. 

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