The Future Melbourne Committee meeting was held on 19 September at the North Melbourne Community Centre with councillors and members of the community in attendance. The application received unanimous support in a vote to inform the minister with positive feedback provided on the design. No objections were made to the plans.

Victorian planning minister Sonya Kilkenny will now decide the future of the project.

Stage three of the Younghusband adaptive reuse redevelopment, led by joint venture partners Ivanhoe Cambridge, Built and Irongate, proposes to deliver 10,000 square metres of office, food and drink premises, as well a shop, gym and basement car parking, while sitting comfortably within a heritage context.

Councillor Marjorie Kennedy commented on the design resolution of the complex flood issues and site topography, commending the design team on how it successfully managed to mitigate flood impacts on the sloping site in a way that the planning team “feel has been a really well thought through contextual response that has good, high quality urban design outcome.”  

Councillor Kennedy added, “That has been done through high quality materials, ensuring that Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) access is still maintained throughout the site, and having bespoke outcomes such as custom flood gates to individual entries.” 

Councillor Rohan Leppert added, “Just as the previous stages of this Younghusband redevelopment have been extraordinary, so too is stage three.

“I want to thank the applicant for their continued innovative and creative approach to planning this precinct… and for keeping the community engaged every step of the way,” Leppert said.   

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said that the project has been an “exemplar” of “gold standard” on adaptive reuse for the city.

“The confidence that we have given the delivery of earlier stages gives us a lot of optimism about this stage,” Capp said. “I particularly like the thoughtfulness throughout the project that has gone into the open spaces, the urban realm available to the public for use, both in programmed and unplanned activities for the community.

“I am pleased to endorse this project this evening and to second it and I wish everyone involved a lot of success,” she said.

Councillor Leppert also commented, “The community information and the openness with which the community has been kept in the loop is exemplary.” This follows a recent community information evening held on 5 September – one in a series of community sessions held to engage the public on the progress of the project.

Woods Bagot Principal and project leader Peter Miglis said this milestone is a testament to the efforts of the project partners and design team, who have sought tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcomes for community while retaining as much as possible of the existing fabric.

“This is one of Melbourne’s largest, most ambitious adaptive reuse projects, and it’s gratifying to receive the support of councillors and community on the progress to date,” Miglis said.

Project architect and Woods Bagot Senior Associate Wei Kiat Goh added the integrated public realm approach to stage three has been “instrumental to the masterplan vision of creating a vibrant precinct for the Kensington community,” he said.

The first stage of the project is under construction while stage two will entail conservation works for the significant heritage wool store buildings, and the construction of new contemporary buildings at the rear of the tallow store.

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