BtR Focus Drives Bates Smart’s Richmond Sportslink Concept

Julian Anderson has been watching Richmond Station for years, waiting for something to happen. Some sort of upgrade or development that brings what he calls a “tourist gateway” up to an international standard. It never did. So, the Bates Smart director decided to propose something himself—a redevelopment that would transform Melbourne’s busiest sporting transport hub, delivering a hotel and 500 new homes through strategic height uplift and land sales. The Richmond Sportslink concept targets a fundamental problem: Richmond Station serves millions of daily commuters, and visitors to the MCG, Australian Open tennis tournament and concert venues, yet fails to reflect the world-class status of the sporting precinct it serves. “There are hundreds of thousands of people going to the Australian Open every year, and then you add the number of people going to the MCG— about 2 million people. They’re all using Richmond Station, and it’s just not fit for purpose,” Anderson tells The Urban Developer . Anderson has structured the Richmond Sportslink concept around three strategic pillars: selling state-owned land parcels to fund public realm improvements, reinvesting proceeds into high-value amenities including a pedestrian link to the MCG and stadiums, and securing strategic height uplift in return for developer contributions. The development strategy promotes the station’s role as a tourist gateway while addressing the Victorian Government’s agenda to activate 50 tram and train stations around Melbourne and contribute to greater residential density around transport nodes. Anderson says now is an ideal time to consider what Richmond Station could become within current policy discussions about transit-oriented development. The residential component would occupy rail-adjacent sites, including VicTrack-owned land around the 1950s station building at Swan Street, adjacent privately owned parcels, and a triangular carpark site south of Swan Street. ▲ The area is regarded as one of the best sports and entertainment precincts in the world and needs a station that reflects that, Anderson says. The proposal includes a hotel on parkland near the western station entry to satisfy accommodation demand in an area currently served primarily by CBD operators and by the Pullman Hotel on the opposite side of the precinct. Anderson’s concept prioritises build-to-rent housing to accelerate delivery timelines and provide diverse apartment configurations. He says the location is ideal given the amenities, parklands, transport connectivity and younger demographic that typically favour rental accommodation. “Build-to-rent is good because it comes to market quicker, because you don’t have to wait for a certain number of sales to go through,” he says. The development model would incorporate at least 10 per cent affordable housing, maybe more, aligning with current state requirements for improved development outcomes. The proposal addresses infrastructure challenges through prefabricated construction methods that minimise disruption to train services. Rather than pursuing over-station development—which Anderson said would be “prohibitively expensive and potentially disastrous”—the scheme focuses on rail-adjacent sites that avoid complex engineering requirements while maintaining transport operations. Station upgrades would include improved wayfinding, disability access, security measures and a replacement roof incorporating solar panels and rainwater collection systems. The design includes potential retail laneways linking the north and south sides of the station, creating commercial activation at ground level. ▲ “It ’ s really unattractive,” Anderson says of Richmond Station ’ s current condition, describing it as not fit for purpose for its two million annual users. A direct pedestrian bridge connecting the station to the MCG and Melbourne Park forms a key element of the vision, addressing current wayfinding challenges that force visitors through circuitous routes between venues and transport. “At the moment, I think that the wayfinding isn’t great. I know if you’re coming out of an MCG game time you often get funnelled across the rail line, out of the MCG, and you end up on Swan Street,” Anderson says. “It’s a hell of a walk and it’s not all that clear.” The concept draws on Bates Smart’s experience with transit-oriented development in Sydney, where it designed over-station buildings at Pitt Street South and Victoria Cross. Anderson says Sydney has “moved ahead of Melbourne in rail-adjacent development” but sees potential for Richmond Station to serve as a catalyst and template for other Melbourne rail-adjacent locations. “I think Melbourne will get there—it’s just a matter of time,” he says. Building heights in the proposal align with recent development in nearby Cremorne, avoiding the polarising debate around excessive tower heights that could overshadow the core transport and housing objectives. Anderson highlights the need for critical mass to support ground-level amenity including food, beverage and retail environments that activate public spaces. The financing model relies on land value uplift generated through strategic height increases, with developer contributions funding station improvements. ▲ Indi ’ s project in the Sydney CBD, designed by Bates Smart, is above the Gadigal Metro Station. This would reduce public sector costs while delivering infrastructure upgrades that benefit the broader sporting and entertainment precinct. Development facilitation pathways currently favour additional height where public benefits are proposed or affordable housing is provided, creating conditions for developers to engage with the opportunity. Anderson says he’s already had significant developer interest following an early release of the proposal. The vision extends beyond housing delivery to address Melbourne’s long-term growth trajectory, with population forecasts indicating significant expansion over the next 15 to 20 years. Anderson positions the proposal within broader discussions about urban design quality and positive city planning rather than simply addressing housing shortages. “We’re keen to start a discourse around the future of Melbourne. It does feel like an ideal time. Melbourne’s population’s forecast to grow significantly in the next sort of 15, 20 years. It’d be good to get these things happening ahead of time,” he says. The architect draws parallels with Melbourne’s transformation in the 1980s under Jeff Kennett, when major sporting venues, the exhibition centre and museum were developed simultaneously. “We did all of those projects at the same time when the city was in decline from an office perspective and we brought a lot of residential … he had a positive vision about the future of Melbourne,” Anderson says. ▲ The current station offers poor wayfinding and accessibility, Anderson says, and visitors often get funnelled across the rail line in confusing routes. He sees the current proposal as continuing that legacy of positive city planning, and the potential economic benefits from doing so. “I think we need to start by improving access to transport and entertainment precincts,” Anderson says. “It’s important to start to talk about what we want our city to look like from a design amenity and quality perspective and not just talk about solving problems like housing but actually have a positive vision for Melbourne’s future.” Early engagement with state authorities will determine whether elements of the proposal can advance, with potential application to other rail-adjacent sites across Melbourne’s transport network.

BtR Focus Drives Bates Smart’s Richmond Sportslink Concept

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