Key details
Location
433 Smith Street, Fitzroy
Policy objective
Create an urban village that includes new housing, community facilities, and open space.
Overview
Fitzroy Gasworks will be a new neighbourhood with the works – diverse and affordable homes close to public transport, a senior high school, open space, multi-use sports centre and commercial spaces.
We’re transforming the site of the former Fitzroy Gasworks into a thriving new precinct, with a range of affordable and sustainable homes, leading sports and education facilities, and public spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Fitzroy Gasworks will set a new benchmark for urban renewal and affordable and sustainable living in one of Melbourne’s most historic and established suburbs.
Development plan
The Development Plan for Fitzroy Gasworks was approved in September 2022. The development plan is based on detailed planning work and valuable input from the community. It ensures any future development complies with the vision for the site, once approved. This provides certainty about the nature of the proposed use and development to the community, stakeholders and the Minister for Planning, including building heights and open space requirements. Read the development plan in full here.
Development partners
A Registration of Interest (ROI) process was open for four weeks for development partners to help shape the future of this iconic site. This has now closed, and shortlisted bidders have progressed to the Expression of Interest phase which has now also closed. Shortlisted bidders will progress to the final Request for Proposal phase.
3.9ha project area
20% affordable housing
1,200 new apartments
8.7% public open space
Key outcomes
Fitzroy Gasworks will be a new neighbourhood with the works:
- 1,200 apartments at different price points, to own or rent
- A 650-student senior high school - now open
- A new multi-use sports centre
- Underground car parking and aboveground bicycle parking
- Flexible spaces at ground level, to accommodate Disability Accommodation (SDA), and commercial, office and community uses
- 8.7% of the site as public open space, with additional communal open space within the residential developments
- Retention of the Valve House and relocation and restoration of the Porter Iron Store approved by Heritage Victoria (Porter Store relocation now complete)
- New accessible tram stop on Smith Street and pedestrian crossing on Queens Parade to make it easier and safer to access the precinct
Approach
The rejuvenation of the former Fitzroy Gasworks will transform an iconic urban site into an integrated, sustainable and thriving urban village.
Fitzroy Gasworks is a whole-of-government approach to urban renewal, delivered by Development Victoria in partnership with the public and private sector.
The vision for the project has been shaped by extensive consultation, to reflect the heritage of the site and the needs of the community.
Timeline
- Community engagement – vision
- Community reference group formed
- Start of remediation
- Rezoning
- Community engagement – Victorian School Building Authority
- Community engagement – collaborative design
- Development plan exhibition
- School complete and open for students
- Development plan submission
- Precincts B and C Registration of Interest
- Precincts B and C expressions of interest
- Remediation complete
- Fitzroy sports centre construction commences
- Development Plan approved
- Community Reference Group meeting
- Parcel B and C request for proposal (subject to change)
- Parcel A residential development construction begins (subject to change)
Location
The site is bordered by Smith Street, Alexandra Parade and Queens Parade, and has an area of 3.9ha.
It's surrounded by the suburbs of Fitzroy, Clifton Hill, and Collingwood.
Who to contact about this project
For more information about the remediation process visit:
Enviropacific
Or call the dedicated project number:
1800 560 822
Development Victoria
Customer service
Ph: 131 852
fitzroy.gasworks@development.vic.gov.au
Media
Ph: 03 8317 3700
media@development.vic.gov.au
City of Yarra
Ph: 03 9658 9658
After hours: 03 96589774
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Development Plan
The Development Plan for Fitzroy Gasworks was approved in September 2022.
The approved Development Plan outlines the planning controls, policy objectives and outcomes that will guide the design and construction of the site. This includes approximately 1,200 apartments, 20% of which will be Affordable Housing, approximately 8.7% of the site to be offered as public open space, two bicycle spaces per dwelling, the Valve House retention and enhancement and much more.
Key elements of the plan
- buildings to reflect the local character in terms of built form, materiality and uses.
- a central community heart linking together diverse public spaces with places to play.
- maximise urban greening by introducing trees, ground cover, vertical and roof top vegetation.
- create ground floor uses that showcase a variety of activities and provide activation.
- the plan has achieved a 6-star green star communities rating through the Green Building Council of Australia with a focus on initiatives that:
- maximise potential for energy generation on site, with solar panels to most rooftops
- maximise thermal performance of buildings for lower living costs over time
- minimise waste produced on site, with consolidated collection points.
- approximately 8.7% per cent of the site to be offered as public open space, with additional communal open space associated with residential development.
- a community garden with 220m2 of agricultural space for the residential community to access.
- delivery of 20% affordable housing.
- a mix of one, two and three-bedroom homes.
- a priority on housing that is affordable to rent.
- encourage a variety in building heights up to 10 storeys.
- flexible spaces that may include retail, hospitality, office and coworking spaces, affordable workspaces for creative industries, galleries, grocery stores and gyms.
- restoration of the heritage listed valve house.
- pedestrian-priority neighbourhood with consolidated parking and minimal reliance on private cars.
- high-quality pedestrian and tram links that integrated with the surrounding community.
- a high-quality street at the heart of the precinct for bicycles, pedestrians and vehicle pick up and drop off.
Key projects
Wurun Senior Campus
Wurun Senior Campus, the new senior secondary campus for Collingwood College and Fitzroy High School, is located in the Fitzroy Gasworks precinct.
Delivered by the Victorian School Building Authority, Wurun Senior Campus has capacity for 650 students and opened in Term 1 2022,
Sports Centre
The Fitzroy Gasworks Sports Centre, a multi-purpose indoor sports centre, adjacent to Wurun Senior Campus, is a key element of the Victorian Government’s vision for the Fitzroy Gasworks precinct.
The centre will be the first vertically designed sports centre of its kind to be built in Australia and will provide much-needed sports facilities to Melbourne’s inner north.
Built Environs has been selected as the construction partner, and have commenced works on site. The facility is expected to be completed in mid-2024.
The centre will comprise four multi-purpose courts for highball sports, a multi-purpose court for futsal, a gymnasium, café and lounge area, community facilities, change rooms, umpire change rooms, foyer and reception
Its integration with Wurun Senior Campus’ two courts will enable shared use of the courts to create a six-court facility outside of school hours.
Build-to-rent
Fitzroy Gasworks will include our first ever build-to-rent development, providing affordable, high-quality and secure rental options for a range of different households.
Build-to-rent will allow more people the opportunity to live in an established and well-serviced location and create a vibrant and diverse community.
The development will be managed by a professional operator, with a focus on tenant amenity to create a strong sense of community. The development aims to offer a real sense of home, with long term tenancies, pets, and minor modifications such as being able to paint the walls and hang pictures.
Passive House design principles that work with the local climate to maintain a comfortable temperature in the home will be incorporated into the build, leading to enhanced thermal efficiency and comfort.
This focus on sustainability has seen our Fitzroy Gasworks masterplan awarded a 6-Star Green Star Communities rating, with our built-to-rent development set to be all-electric and fossil fuel free.
Overview of remediation
We are pleased to announce that the Fitzroy Gasworks Site Remediation is complete. The independent EPA Environmental Auditor is now finalising the audit to certify that the site is suitable for the next phase of this exciting development.
The removal of contaminated soil was required to deliver a cleaner, safer environment for the people of Fitzroy North and future users of the proposed site. The Department of Treasury and Finance appointed Enviropacific to manage remediation of the contaminated Fitzroy Gasworks land.
Remedial works commenced in June 2018 and were delivered over three phases. These included the development of a strategy, site investigation, on site remediation works and additional works scope. For more details on the delivery of remediation works visit the Enviropacific website.
Building a community in the heart of Fitzroy
Development Victoria has worked with Fitzroy community members to identify local priorities and aspirations, and plans to address these as part of the development.
Between 2016 and 2017, the community provided input on: school and sports facilities, social housing, open space, community art, height and density, traffic, parking, and the heritage of the site.
In October 2019, community feedback was provided for the draft Development Plan via an online survey, pop-up information sessions, and two drop-in sessions.
The project team incorporated this feedback into the development plan, which was presented back to the community ahead of the formal submission.
A Community Reference Group (CRG) was established with 18 members representing the broader community. The CRG will continue to meet on an ongoing basis during the next phase of the project.
Supporting documents used during the October 2019 engagement sessions include the project fact sheet and design boards.
Fitzroy Gasworks Community Engagement
October 2019History
Fitzroy Gasworks is located on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.
The former gasworks on the site was established in 1860 and became an integral part of Melbourne’s gas infrastructure.
Gas production ceased in 1927, with the site remaining operational as a construction workshop and as a gas storage point until the 1970s.
Heritage assets
There is a Heritage Overlay on the former Fitzroy Gasworks Valve House, located in the south-west corner of the site.
The Valve House will be retained as a significant heritage element. Options for its re-use were considered as part of the community engagement in October 2019.
The J. H. Porter Iron Store formerly located on the Council depot site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being of State significance.
The Heritage Overlay is only applicable for the asset, and not the land it sits on. A heritage permit was issued by Heritage Victoria for Development Victoria to carefully restore and relocate the J. H. Porter Iron Store to Fairfield Park. Restoration and relocation was successfully delivered in 2021.
Updated on 21 December 2022