Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy has approved five major planning permits for Australia’s largest urban renewal area, Fishermans Bend.
The permits include the construction of 11 buildings in the Montague precinct, adjacent to the new Melbourne Rail Link underground metro station.
“Fishermans Bend will be a key driver of Melbourne’s liveability over the next decades,” Mr Guy said.
“The central city is the appropriate place for high density urban renewal. We shouldn’t be pushing high-rise projects into quiet suburban streets as happened under Labor’s anything-goes Melbourne 2030 policy.”
The five permits are located at 6-78 and 134-150 Buckhurst Street, 15-87 and 89-103 Gladstone Street, South Melbourne and at 199 Normanby Road, Southbank.
All permits are within a few minutes walk of the site of the new underground metro railway station to be built as part of the Melbourne Rail Link.
Mr Guy said two new CBD-style laneways will be created between Gladstone and Buckhurst Streets, through land covered by three of the permits.
Related Article: Melbourne’s Fishermans Bend Precinct Approved
Mr Guy slammed Labor’s confusion over Fishermans Bend.
“Labor has been hopelessly inconsistent about Fishermans Bend and have lost any credibility on this issue,” Mr Guy said.
“Labor initially opposed the urban renewal project and opposed plans for high-capacity public transport. Then they supported the development of a precinct for 80,000 residents but still opposed a railway station.
"And now they claim that maybe they don’t support the project at all. The property and construction industry can have no confidence in Daniel Andrews."“Development of Fishermans Bend will create significant investment, jobs and commercial opportunities right on the doorstep of Melbourne’s CBD. Construction alone will deliver billions of dollars in economic benefits to Victoria over the next 40 years.
"The precinct will ultimately double the size of our central city, boosting Melbourne’s productivity by extending the capital city’s commercial appeal and skilled workforce,” Mr Guy said.
