Waterfront Place precinct design guidelines

The Waterfront Place precinct occupies an important position within Melbourne as a place of arrival and departure. It serves a variety of roles for international and domestic visitors, and for the local community. The complex Precinct includes a mix of private and public land and uses, the 109 tram terminus, important heritage fabric, cruise ship and ferry facilities, and a public realm which is highly contested at times.

Project scope

The development of design guidelines for specific sites was a key action identified by the community as part of the Port Melbourne Waterfront Urban Design Framework (UDF). The project is timely, as the Waterfront Place precinct and Station Pier are currently undergoing change with several developments. The design guidelines will ultimately form the basis of a future planning scheme amendment to update existing planning controls. To inform this process, recommendations for planning scheme controls for the study area and Waterfront Place precinct will also be developed.

The public realm principles will be informed by the existing outcomes in the UDF, which will be tested and reviewed in conjunction with the development of design guidelines to ensure integration between the built form and public realm. The public realm approach will inform future designs. Funding has not yet been allocated for further design or construction of public realm works.

View the Waterfront Place Port Melbourne precinct map (PDF 346 KB)

Read the Frequently Asked Questions (PDF 74 KB) and Background Issues Paper (PDF 6.7 MB).

Port Melbourne Waterfront UDF

Council developed the Port Melbourne Waterfront Urban Design Framework (UDF) 2013, to enhance liveability, public spaces and future sustainability of the precinct.

The Port Melbourne Waterfront Urban Design Framework 2013 can be viewed here:

• Port Melbourne Waterfront UDF 2013 - Part A
• Port Melbourne Waterfront UDF 2013 - Part B

The Port Melbourne Waterfront UDF 2013 builds on the draft Port Melbourne Waterfront UDF released in December 2011 by responding to community feedback and incorporating recommendations from independent technical studies on transport and access, views and vistas and design and development.

The final Port Melbourne Waterfront UDF 2013 was endorsed by Council at a public Council meeting on Tuesday 26 November 2013.