“No clear community benefit”: locals fight latest plans for Macaulay

Kensington residents are raising the alarm on further “overdevelopment” in the Macaulay precinct following the latest proposal for an eight-storey project at the corner of Barrett and Bruce streets.

Applicant Responsible Developers Pty Ltd submitted amended plans to the City of Melbourne in February for a $65 million project at 21-37 Barrett St, which is currently home to a heritage warehouse. 

The proposal comprises 107 new one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, six commercial studios, two food and drink premises and one retail premises, as well as a “central public courtyard”. 

The plans state that the proposal “incorporates a generous public realm response” with a connecting walkway linking the public courtyard to a new “public plaza fronting onto Moonee Ponds Creek”. 

While the council has previously raised concerns about the height and floor area ratio of the proposal, which exceeds the limits stipulated under the Macaulay Structure Plan, the developer says it “sits comfortably” with the surrounding precinct. 

“We submit the proposed building height of eight storeys modestly exceeds the preferred six-storey maximum height,” the plans state. 

“The height is considered acceptable given the eight-storey developments recently constructed at both 14-26 Bruce St as well as 86-96 Stubbs St.” 

But resident Albert Brunda, one of 23 who had objected to the plans at the time of publishing, said residents had not long ago fought against the building at Bruce St, claiming that today it stood “mostly vacant”. 

“Residents fought hard against the eight-storey office development at 14-26 Bruce St,” Mr Brunda told North West City News, adding that despite strong local opposition and a VCAT hearing, the council ultimately approved the project, “swayed by the inclusion of a green roof”. 

He said the roof was inaccessible to the public, unused by the building’s single tenant and was “largely symbolic”. 

“You'd be surprised to know it [the green rooftop] even exists up there,” Mr Brunda said.

Today, the building stands mostly vacant, and it has instead become an excellent canvas for graffiti artists. Many residents are still questioning what real benefit it brought to the community.

Mr Brunda said the latest plans for Barrett St raised wider concerns as they offer no affordable housing nor any “clear benefit to the local community”.

“Again, it’s eight storeys. Again, it pushes past the preferred six-storey limit set out in the planning scheme. And again, it offers features like a ‘public courtyard’ that is more or less surrounded by the new towers,” he said.

“Rejuvenation near the Moonee Ponds Creek is great, but it needs to be done right and not pushed past the community with developer profits in mind.”

The application is expected to come before councillors at a Future Melbourne Committee meeting for a decision in the coming months.

Development issues continue to be at the heart of controversy in Macaulay, with the City of Melbourne last year lashing the state government for “unacceptable” delays in legislating key planning reforms for the area.

Namely, the Macaulay Structure Plan, which outlines critical planning controls for the urban renewal zone, was endorsed by councillors back in 2022 but only publicly exhibited by Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny in June last year.

The Moonee Ponds Creek Implementation Plan – a critical vision which sets out open space opportunities and revitalisation of the creek corridor between Arden, Macaulay and Docklands – was endorsed by councillors back in 2019.

To date, neither the Macaulay Structure Plan or the Moonee Ponds Creek Implementation Plan have been gazetted by government, with the latter still understood to be under review by the Department of Transport and Planning.

North West City News sought an update on both plans from the state government but it didn’t respond before deadline.

A City of Melbourne spokesperson said submissions to the Macaulay Structure Plan were currently being considered, with a report to be presented at a Future Melbourne Committee meeting in mid-2025.

It added that the Lord Mayor and CEO continued advocate to the government for the release of the implementation plan, and for collaboration to deliver more open space in Macaulay and Arden.

The lack of affordable housing in current developments, as well as issues around construction quality also continue attract criticism from residents and the wider community.

A recent viral video showing major defects in the newly built Lt Hardiman Lofts has sparked concern, with the footage from Site Inspections revealing water damage, poor finishing, and structural shortcuts in the building.

Kensington Association interim chair Dr Kate Kennedy said residents were experiencing "urban development fatigue".

" This stems firstly from the prolonged consultations around the Macaulay Structure Plan dating back to 2012, along with subsequent delays to planning amendments. Secondly, they’ve had to endure ongoing building activity and associated noise and traffic disruptions," Dr Kennedy said.

"Despite its name, the Macaulay Structure Plan still lacks real structure, leaving us with a planning environment open to interpretation. There is ongoing uncertainty about whether recent developments meet the Design and Development Overlay (DDO) controls regarding exceptional design, affordable housing, open green space, and pedestrian connectivity." •