08.02.2024Shaping the future of Fishermans Bend

Fishermans Bend will play a crucial role in supporting Melbourne’s development. As Australia’s largest urban renewal precinct on the edge of the CBD, it could help meet the demand for various housing choices and contribute significantly to Melbourne’s economic growth.

To help deliver over 120 ‘essential infrastructure’ projects across Fishermans Bend, including open spaces, select streets, community hubs, and major drainage and flood mitigation infrastructure, the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) prepared a draft Development Contributions Plan (DCP) for public consultation.

The Committee welcomes the draft DCP and its complementary Open Space Uplift (OSU) development incentive, but believes a broad, integrated plan is required for the growth and development trajectory of Fishermans Bend. With ‘essential infrastructure’ and ‘catalytic infrastructure’ inherently interconnected, we consider that the two should be considered together.

Within that context, the Committee’s submission to DTP highlights four issues that could be considered as the DCP and OSU mechanism is implemented: the need for integrated planning, public transport provision, an innovation ecosystem, and the safeguarding of Port of Melbourne’s operations.

Photo | Melb aerial 2020 – Fishermans Bend to city from Wikimedia Commons by Orderinchaos is available here and is used under the Creative Commons License. Photo has not been modified.