City of Melbourne’s Design and Construction Standards lay the foundation for how our city is shaped and guides the application of council standards and approvals processes across the Municipality.

It is a tool to support all people involved in the planning, design, review, approval, delivery and handover of public realm spaces and infrastructure. This document builds on the Docklands Design and Construction Standards, and extends the scope to guide public realm design and delivery everywhere in our municipality. This supports the consistent implementation of materials, furniture, signage, lighting, planting and utilities across the city’s public realm infrastructure and provides clarity on requirements for all users.

The draft Design and Construction Standards were open for community consultation from May to June 2022.

On 18 October 2022, The City of Melbourne’s Design and Construction Standards were gazetted into local law, following endorsement from Councillors at the Future Melbourne Committee meeting on 2 August 2022.

Read the standards

News

Timeline

  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    Future Melbourne Commitee meeting for endorsement to proceed to public consultation

    17 May 2022

  • Timeline item 2 - complete

    Community consultation

    18 May to 15 June 2022

  • Timeline item 3 - complete

    Design and Construction Standards endorsed at Future Melbourne Committee meeting

    Future Melbourne Committee to update councillors on feedback and actions from the public consultation and provide submitters the opportunity to speak.

    2 August 2022

  • Timeline item 4 - complete

    Design and Construction Standards gazetted into local law

    18 October 2022

About the standards

We have updated and improved upon the general principles that underpin the City of Melbourne’s approach to the design and management of public realm spaces. This has been informed by key learnings from the Docklands Design and Construction Standards.

We are changing requirements for:

  • Guiding principles for public realm design.
  • Environmental sustainability in material selection and manufacturing processes.
  • The layout of furniture and other public realm elements.
  • Guidance on approvals, design, construction and handover processes.

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