A structure plan is like a roadmap that sets out the long-term strategic vision for an area and an action plan on how it will be achieved. The plan will guide change over the next 20 years including:

• Future land use

• Types and heights of buildings

• Improved transport and how people can access and move around the area

• Open spaces and parks

• Infrastructure improvements

• Character of the area including heritage

• Sustainability

• Economic opportunities.

Structure plans are a way in which councils can manage and plan for the outcomes of population growth for a particular area.

Plan Melbourne is the Victorian Government’s strategy on how they will deal with Melbourne’s population growth until 2050 while remaining a liveable city. Melbourne’s population is expected to grow from 4.6 million to almost 8 million by 2051.

The population in South Melbourne is expected to grow by 28.8% from 9,105 in 2021 to 11,730 in 2041.

Through Plan Melbourne, Council plays a role in managing growth, while at the same time responding to community aspirations and providing vibrant, liveable local places for everyone to enjoy. Structure plans look at all aspects of a place. In developing the structure plan, we have gained diverse views and insights from the community and identify what makes this area a great place to live, work and play.

The Structure Plan is informed by technical analysis, including urban design and heritage studies that set out recommendations for the design of new development in South Melbourne.

The structure plan will introduce four new Design and Development Overlays that set out new building requirements within South Melbourne as well as addressing small zoning anomalies update zoning to better reflect current and future uses as outlined in South Melbourne Structure Plan.

The South Melbourne Structure Plan recommendations are very selective with the application of mandatory (must comply with) building height and setback controls. Consistent with the direction of the Victorian Government about applying mandatory controls when ‘absolutely necessary’, they are applied to:

• locations of intact heritage streetscapes within and around Clarendon and Park Streets.

• locations with a direct, sensitive interface/abuttal with low scale residential properties

• protect key public open spaces from overshadowing.

The draft SMSP approach to developing a built form, building design and heritage framework has been informed by extensive technical analysis and 3D modelling.

Further, the recommended planning controls in the draft SMSP will strengthen South Melbourne’s Major Activity Centre and Enterprise Precinct through encouraging investment, while also protecting heritage, enhancing the public realm, and managing amenity impacts. These new planning controls also seek to provide more clarity and certainty for all stakeholders through the planning process

A floor area ratio (or FAR) is a type of planning control that sets a specific amount of development that can occur on a site. It is expressed as a ratio between the amount of Gross Floor Area (GFA) that can developed and the area of a site.

The key benefits of using FAR controls alongside building envelope controls are they:

• set realistic and clear expectations about the potential development yield on a site.

• enable flexibility for an architect to choose how they organise their building layout and form on their site within a preferred built form envelope and focus on design quality rather than yield.

• can help deliver a range of building typologies, helping to deliver a range of uses and provide visual interest

• Provide design flexibility to respond to the specific conditions of a site and the surrounding context.

• have a direct relationship with the size of a site and can therefore be relatively easy to communicate

• provide a clear and consistent measure to support efficient decision making.

The use of FAR controls alongside building envelope controls is a standard planning mechanism that is used by other inner metropolitan Melbourne councils in regulating development and effectively protecting existing character.