The City of Melbourne is stepping up to protect the city’s heritage, releasing a new policy update to set out how recent changes to planning controls and policies are celebrating Melbourne’s iconic laneway culture.
Acting Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece said the do’s and don’ts of development in the city’s laneways are now clearer than ever.
“Heritage laneways are a much-loved part of the fabric of Melbourne and something that is really unique and distinctive about our city,” the Acting Lord Mayor said.
“We have already seen too many laneways seriously degraded, so we have introduced these tough new controls to protect against inappropriate development. These measures will stop inappropriate, low-quality development in all our laneways – with our update helping to ensure developers know exactly what is expected.
“We want Melbourne to be a city of design excellence and protecting our heritage plays a vital role in making that a reality.”
Heritage portfolio lead Councillor Rohan Leppert said Council’s recent heritage protection work will ensure Melbourne’s laneways can be enjoyed for generations to come.
“From our extensive heritage reviews to the Heritage Good Design Guide, we’ve undertaken more heritage work in recent years than ever before. We’ve increased protection to 126 heritage sites and five new precincts inside the Hoddle Grid, and hundreds more buildings across the municipality,” Cr Leppert said.
“This has been a mammoth effort which has already begun to deliver significant improvements in the types of development applications we’re seeing brought to Council.
“Far from inhibiting development, these planning controls and policies are seeing more heritage fabric retained in new development, boosting creative and high-quality architecture responses, keeping Melbourne’s famed streets and laneways interesting and inviting.”
The policy update cites HER, the recently launched multi-level hospitality redevelopment in Drewery Lane, as a prime example of good design and heritage protection outcomes.
Georgie Larkins from HQ Group – owners of HER, said Melbourne’s heritage buildings and laneways are an intrinsic asset to the city.
“Restoring the building at 270 Lonsdale Street has charged Drewery Lane with new energy,” Ms Larkins said.
“It has helped tidy the laneway, highlighted the unique character of the heritage architecture and street art, and shone a light on our neighbouring traders. It has created a place for people to meet and enjoy the best of Melbourne’s laneway culture.”
The HER development has helped to reactivate Drewery Lane, with a significant increase in pedestrian activity and visitation to local businesses.
Recent City of Melbourne planning reforms that air heritage laneways protection:
- Heritage Policies Review Amendment C258
- Heritage Good Design Guide
- Guildford and Hardware Laneways Amendment C271
- Hoddle Grid Heritage Review Amendment C387
- Urban Design in the Central City Guide
- Southbank Amendment C308
- Central City Built Form Review Amendment C270
