Skip to content

Background information about the Arden Precinct

The Arden Precinct is an urban renewal precinct in North Melbourne, located 2.5km north-west of the Melbourne CBD, centred around the Metro Tunnel’s new Arden Station. It will be a mixed use and innovation precinct and will be known as a new neighbourhood for Melbourne’s inner north-west. Arden is expected to accommodate approximately 34,000 jobs and be home to around 20,000 residents by 2051.

The Arden precinct consists of 44.6 hectares (of largely historical industrial lots) and is located between Macaulay Road, the Upfield rail line, Moonee Ponds Creek and Dryburgh Street in North Melbourne.

Arden is located just over two kilometres north-west of Melbourne’s CBD and in close proximity to Parkville/Melbourne Biomedical Precinct. Its proximity to Parkville will facilitate continued expansion of Victoria’s world leading biomedical research capability and growth of the Melbourne CBD.

The scale of opportunity so close to the city, along with significant government land holdings and exceptional transport connections, makes Arden a unique project for Melbourne.

By bringing people and jobs closer together spatially and through the provision of high-quality transport links, we are creating opportunities to boost Melbourne’s competitive advantages and economic productivity.

Growth of Arden has the potential to deliver significant economic, social and environmental benefits for Melbourne and Victoria.

The Arden Precinct is highly complementary to the nearby Parkville Precinct incorporating the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct (MBP) with over 45 partner hospitals, research centres, education institutions and biomedical organisations.

Arden and Parkville will be connected by just one Metro station, two minutes away, which will enable increased collaboration and synergies between the two precincts.

Arden is well positioned to build upon Victoria’s existing capabilities and become a globally recognised innovation precinct.

Arden will be an innovation cluster, attracting a range of precinct occupants in the life sciences, research, digital technology, and educational technology (edtech) sectors. The physical co-location of these entities will provide opportunities for collaboration and further innovation between research and industry partners.

The Arden Metro Station is planned to open in 2025, connecting Arden to Parkville (2mins) and the CBD (5mins) via the Melbourne Metro Tunnel.

State Government is seeking to partner with the private sector, industry and investors to start delivering the Arden precinct – with quality and affordable housing to support diverse residents and key workers, including affordable build to rent, build to sell, shared equity and key worker housing.

Arden Precinct EOI process

Government is seeking responses from prospective bidders to demonstrate ability to form a partnership with the State to deliver the Vision for Arden.  Detailed information can be found on the official EOI landing page.

The EOI was released on Monday 24th of June 2024. The EOI process is now closed. Shortlisted Bidders will be invited to provide a Response in late 2024.

This timing is indicative only and may be changed by Development Victoria in accordance with the Conditions of the EOI Process.

Development Victoria is under no obligation to consider any information received from a Bidder after the closing date.

All participants should read the “Expressions of Interest, Arden Precinct – Arden Central” document available on Buying for Victoria Supplier portal as it contains important information for Bidders preparing applications.

Development Victoria will not be conducting individual Bidder briefing sessions as part of this EOI process.  Development Victoria may conduct individual Bidder briefings as part of the RFP stage.

The Department of Transport and Planning will not respond to queries from participants. Participants should direct all queries regarding the Arden Expressions of Interest (EOI) process to Development Victoria.

Requests for clarifications for the EOI may be directed to Development Victoria’s Proposal Manager, Leia Bonacci at arden@development.vic.gov.au or Development Victoria, Level 9, 8 Exhibition Street, Melbourne 3000. Submissions must not be sent or copied to this address. Any submissions received to this email address may be ruled invalid.

Development Victoria is not obliged to respond to any communication relating to the EOI. Where Development Victoria responds to a communication it will provide its response to all Bidders unless Development Victoria is of the opinion that the issues raised apply only to one Bidder.

Communication with any person engaged by Development Victoria for the purposes of the Project (other than Development Victoria’s Proposal Manager) is prohibited and may result in the Bidder being excluded from this EOI process at Development Victoria’s discretion.

Updated on 24 June 2024