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The Victorian Government is redeveloping the public housing at Bills Street, Hawthorn.
Update March 2024
Patterson Reserve car park is now open to the public.
As part of the Bills Street redevelopment, Homes Victoria upgraded access and amenities for the neighbouring park. The upgrades provide more parking, including two accessible bays, more bike spaces, new landscaping and new street furniture.
This ends the alternative temporary parking arrangement at Robinsons Road car park at the University of Melbourne.
About
The Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D'Ambrosio approved plans for the redevelopment of the former Bills Street Public Housing Estate in Hawthorn.
Work began in late 2022 and should be completed by mid-2024.
The redevelopment of the land at 1-12 Bills Street will deliver 103 social housing dwellings and 103 affordable housing dwellings. Six buildings will be constructed on the site, ranging from 3 to 7 storeys. The dwellings will include one, 2-and 3-bedroom apartments.
We would like to thank our local community, who have provided valuable feedback and advocacy to help shape many of the Victorian Government’s key decisions for this project.
We are pleased that collective advocacy between the community and Council has resulted in Homes Victoria covering all construction and delivery costs for a new public car park to be built at Patterson Reserve. This car park will replace the existing car park that will be removed as part of the Bills Street works.
The new car park will increase parking from 39 bays to 48. The site includes new lighting, drainage, a new pram crossing, a raised-threshold pedestrian crossing on Robinson Road, a raised-threshold shared-path crossing within the car park for velodrome users and a bike-repair station.
Council supports the development of public housing on the Bills Street site. However, the approved plans don't address most issues raised by Council, including the lack of a community room in the development and the removal of several trees Council wanted to keep. Given the Minister’s approval, no further planning permissions are required. The development now moves to the implementation stage, with Hansen Yuncken appointed as the builder.
Background
The Victorian Government proposed to redevelop the former Bills Street Public Housing Estate for 206 social and affordable apartments.
In June 2021, Council received a copy of architectural plans and supporting reports from Homes Victoria, the government agency responsible for the project.
The documents were to be submitted to the Victorian Government’s Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning for their assessment. A copy of the documents received from Homes Victoria is available on this page under Application Materials.
Council reviewed this documentation and undertook an assessment against the requirements of Clause 52.20 of the Boroondara Planning Scheme. Officers for the Urban Planning Delegated Committee (UPDC) Meeting in August 2021 prepared a report.
Council supports a public housing development on the Bills Street site in an appropriate built-form manner that includes the provision of information to enable meaningful consultation.
The application documents didn't propose replacement of the Robinson Road car park, or replacement of the former on-site community room. Council continued to advocate for these to be included within the project's scope.
Council was aware that the project has had a long gestation and is of significant interest to the local community. There was concern to the limited public consultation being undertaken in respect to the project, the lack of detailed information regarding aspects of the proposal such as the built form, and the limitations on the scope of feedback being sought.
Community consultation
Homes Victoria asked for community feedback in March and April 2021 using an online survey. The survey aimed to find out about opportunities to improve and create integrated connections and welcoming public spaces in the redevelopment.
Homes Victoria used community feedback to refine the development plan. The final development plan was part of the planning application submitted to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
To read more about the project and to read the community feedback outlined in the Bill Street Hawthorn engagement report June 2021, visit the Victorian Government website.