Marlborough Street community housing

Council is committed to supporting the development of affordable housing in Port Phillip. We partnered with HousingFirst and the Victorian Government to build this community housing complex. It is close to shops and public transport and retains a public carpark.

  • The car park re-opened on Friday 1 March following a water leak. The lift was closed while the car park was repaired. The repairs are now finished, and the lift is working.

Location

46 to 58 Marlborough Street, Balaclava

Cost

This project was funded under the Victorian Government’s $2.7 billion Building Works Package announced in July 2020. Council has donated land at 46-58 Marlborough Street (including a public carpark), to HousingFirst, a community housing organisation, to develop this project.

Why are we doing this?

Council's Affordable Housing Strategy, In Our Backyard – Growing Affordable Housing in the City of Port Phillip 2015 – 2025 (PDF 1.8 MB) responds to the growing issue of available housing to support residents with lower income who are experiencing housing stress. The Marlborough Street community housing project is a key initiative under Policy 1 of this strategy. Council gifted the land at 46-58 Marlborough Street to HousingFirst to develop this project.

Our Council Plan 2021-31 also outlines our strategic direction to continue to support an Inclusive Port Phillip. We want to foster a community with strong social connections, where people feel safer and welcome and have access to affordable housing and the information and services they need to support their health and wellbeing.

We plan to increase affordable housing for our community, by:

  • facilitating and advocating for affordable housing for low-income households in housing stress
  • working with key partners to help prevent homelessness, or reduce time spent without a secure home, for older Port Phillip residents facing housing stress or loss.

The impact

Settlement of the property occurred on the 12 October 2023 enabling residents to move into the residential units.

The new basement car park is open for public use. The car park provides 39 car spaces available from 6 am to 10 pm daily, including 2 and 4-hour spots, and accessible bays.

A new Parkiteer facility will also open soon, providing secure bike parking spaces next to Balaclava Station.

Construction 

Construction began on 1 June 2021 and ran for 24 months. 

Objectives

The project offered an important opportunity to provide much-needed community housing and redevelop the public carpark.

The site at 46-58 Marlborough Street was an off-street carpark. It was identified as a site for community housing for several years in our Affordable Housing Policy and Council Plan 2021-31.

Implementation

This project has delivered 46 affordable housing apartments, close to shops and public transport. The residential units will be operated and maintained by HousingFirst. The basement carpark will be owned and operated by Council.

Key Council Resolutions

The Heads of Agreement is available to review in the support documents below.

  • On 7 March 2018, Council unanimously resolved to progress this redevelopment and delegated authority to the CEO to negotiate and enter into a conditional Heads of Agreement with Port Phillip Housing Association Ltd as Trustee for the Port Phillip Housing Trust for the redevelopment and sale of 46-58 Marlborough Street.
  • At the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 15 August 2018, Council resolved to proceed with the conditional transfer of land at the site for community housing, following formal notice of its intention to sell the land and considering the public submissions as required under the Local Government Act 1989.
  • On 6 May 2020, Council endorsed variations to the Heads of Agreement with HousingFirst Ltd. This involved an extension to the deadline for obtaining the development permit and construction funding and to also carry out an additional detailed contamination investigation at the site.

Milestones

Community engagement

In 2018, Council gave advanced formal notice of its intention to sell the land and considered public submissions as required under the Local Government Act 1989.

In April 2018, Council issued a public notice in The Leader and provided correspondence to residents, owners and traders in the surrounding area. Two drop-in sessions were hosted for residents, traders and community members to find out more and have their questions answered. These were held onsite at 46-58 Marlborough Street in April 2018.

Submissions were received and reported at a Council Meeting in June 2018. Submissions were considered and responses provided in a Council Meeting in August 2018 when Council resolved to proceed with the conditional transfer of land for community housing to HousingFirst, as trustee of the Port Phillip Housing Trust.

From 2018 to 2021 HousingFirst finalised the design and procured a builder to construct the development. As the project prepared for construction, Council and HousingFirst proceed with pre-construction engagement which involved:

  • updates to the Marlborough Street web page
  • notification letter to residents and traders
  • information about the construction in the Divercity e-newsletter
  • CoPP social media posts
  • visits to traders nearby and a short fact sheet
  • joint media release with HousingFirst and Homes Victoria.

Architectural concept sketch

DOIG Architecture prepared the community housing development architectural concept sketch (PDF 7.9 MB).

Supporting documents

More information

If you have any queries about the public basement carpark and parkiteer, please contact Tom Mason, Cordinator Transport Safety via ASSIST on 03 9209 6777.

For queries about the residential units, please contact HousingFirst: HousingFirst - HousingFirst.org.au