A joint venture between developer Hamton and superannuation fund Hostplus has been appointed by Development Victoria to take on the urban renewal mixed use precinct slated for Arden Central, in North Melbourne, which will include a living lab.
The government-owned $7 billion project is expected to deliver more than 5400 homes for 10,000 residents, alongside retail and community amenities and more than 5.5 hectares of open space. But it will take the next 30 years to develop.
The development forms part of Victorian Premier Ben Carroll’s election promise to build new homes for first-time buyers, with 74 per cent of this development set aside for new entrants to the market. A further 10 per cent will be set aside for affordable housing.
The future of the precinct is already in question, with the Opposition leader Jess Wilson telling The Age that the private sector was better placed to build houses, and the government should focus instead on reducing the tax and regulatory barriers making commercial housing projects financially unviable for developers.
The precinct will span 56 hectares between Macaulay Road, Dryburgh Street and the Upfield rail line, with the new Metro Tunnel underground train station at its centre.
The plan is for an all electric precinct, aiming to achieve 2040 net zero carbon operational energy and a 6 Star Green Star Communities precinct rating, 8 Star NatHERS development energy rating for the apartment buildings and 6 Star NABERS energy and water ratings for all buildings.
The Victorian Planning Authority said in the initial consultation period of the proposal in 2016 that the redevelopment will retain the area’s industrial history, with a heritage overlay already in place to protect historic buildings “and North Melbourne’s character”. However, the draft plans will set a vision for changing land uses, street and open space design, access for pedestrians and cyclists and the revitalisation of Moonee Ponds Creek.
The first residential building is expected for completion by 2032 following civil infrastructure works, delivering about 1700 homes and 45 per cent of the precinct area, including key amenities and public spaces. The developers said the full vision for the precinct “will be delivered progressively over 25 years.
The precinct is designed to be developed in partnership with stakeholders, including Live Nation, which wants to build a 5000 capacity stadium for live music on site, Melbourne Victory Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club, with a community field and hub shared with the university and local schools.
The University of Melbourne plans to have its Melbourne School of Design there, along with a “living lab” for nature based excellence.
The university said it wants to have a physical presence on site once the building is completed in late 2027, connected to its Parkville campus, which is a two-minute train ride from Arden Station.
The Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning’s interim dean, Professor Alan Pert, said the building would provide a living lab to explore how nature can be better integrated into buildings, precincts and cities.
“The living lab will bring together a range of applied research to test and measure nature-based approaches in a real urban environment – from biodiversity corridors and green roofs and facades to digital modelling and other emerging areas of research.”
Pert said the facility would also host a suite of new “post professional” short courses tailored to the needs of industry, government and community, and centred around systemic challenges such as circular and regenerative materials, city leadership, affordable and sustainable housing and nature-based cities.
Among plans are also a commercial district, with Coles already lined up as a tenant, gym, childcare, offices, retail and hospitality spaces, and a potential government primary school to complement the planned secondary school.
The developers said it’s intended that more than 45 per cent of the site would be dedicated to parks and gardens.
Hamton founder and executive chairman, Paul Hameister, said, “Our ambition for Arden Central is to create something internationally remarkable – a place that blends together culture, entertainment, sport and nature in a way that stands alongside the best precincts in the world.
“Arden Central is designed to bring a different kind of city life to Melbourne, one where the neighbourhood feels more like a campus, walking is the natural way to move around, and nature is woven into everyday life. With 5.5 hectares of new open space, we believe it can become a global exemplar of nature-based city living.”
