Protect and celebrate local heritage, parks and gardens, and work to retain the ‘village feel’.
What you told us
East Melbourne is known for its historic and heritage buildings, wide streets with median strips and beautiful parks. You’d like to see East Melbourne’s heritage, unique identity and low-rise living protected and celebrated.
“Preserve the village-like community, look after the heritage and character of the neighbourhood.”
“Minimal change to streetscapes. Achieving any need for additional housing through low to mid intensity low rise development of unused utility land (such as the Jolimont railyards) including social housing.”
“More public awareness of the heritage of East Melbourne, more open days to significant houses, walking tours through the gardens and major houses/churches.”
What we’re doing
The City of Melbourne’s Heritage Strategy 2013 sets out our plan to protect our city’s heritage buildings, places and objects. It has been developed to ensure the city’s rich traditions and memories are celebrated and our places and objects are identified and protected.
i-Heritage, City of Melbourne’s online heritage database is currently being updated. Community members can use the database to search for information on heritage properties in the City of Melbourne.
The Melbourne Planning Scheme is a living document that governs the development and use of land in our municipality. It includes both state and local policies, zones and overlays.
In early 2022, the Amendment C405 was proposed to reinstate heritage protection for the Punt Road Oval in Yarra Park. The Amendment proposal will undergo an independent review later in 2022.
We’ve developed a Development Activity Model to better inform you of future buildings and construction in your area.
Following extensive review and consultation, the new Code of Practice for Building, Construction and Works came into effect from 17 March 2022.
The new Code coincides with the City of Melbourne Services online, which brings digital permits to construction activities. We are advocating to the State Government for a stronger regulatory framework to manage construction noise.
We are reviewing central city waste regulations and waste truck movement restricted areas as one of our 2021-22 Budget initiatives.
What we’re doing next
We will commence the East Melbourne and Jolimont Heritage Review in the 2022-23 financial year. This is an independent review that will take a holistic view of East Melbourne’s historical buildings and open spaces, carefully considering Aboriginal, colonial, contemporary, community, tangible and intangible heritage values.
Updates
[January 2023] The Neighbourhood Portals have been updated with links to planning register entries relevant to each neighbourhood, making it easier for community members to find local planning applications. Weekly Planning Applications and Decisions Lists are now sorted by neighbourhood for ease of reference. Sign up to receive these weekly emails.
[February 2023] The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Trust is reviewing the Yarra Park Master Plan, which will provide a framework for the sustainable future use, management and renewal of Yarra Park to ensure its long term viability, whilst continuing to respond to the current needs of the Park and its function as a multi-purpose recreational resource within the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct.
[February 2023] We are renewing our Urban Forest Precinct Plans, starting with East Melbourne, Melbourne CBD, South Yarra and Carlton. Consultation for these neighbourhoods will begin in March. The precinct plans outline what is going to be planted where, when and why over the next ten years. We are delivering workshops in the neighbourhoods and asking community members to provide feedback to us from March to May this year. This is an exciting opportunity for local residents to have their say on the future of street trees within their neighbourhood.
[February 2023] Through our Urban Forest Fund, we’re supporting five new greening projects that will beautify and cool our neighbourhoods, creating 1000 square metres of new green cover. Tram stops will be transformed into lush eco-installations and community gardens will pop up in unlikely places through $500,000 in matched-funding to create a greener, more sustainable city.
An owners’ corporation on Agnes Street has converted a large, hostile concrete area between two 1970s apartment buildings into a green oasis with native trees and shrubs, improving biodiversity and canopy cover.