Port Melbourne is an inner urban suburb of Melbourne undergoing significant transformation from a mix of Victorian workers cottages and industry to high density residential development. In particular, the foreshore area has seen a number of new high-rise apartment buildings in recent years. This has led to tension between the need to provide for urban consolidation on one hand, and respect for heritage, character and residential amenity values on the other. We were commissioned to review the built form controls for this area contained within Schedule 1 to the Port Phillip Design and Development Overlay (DDO).

Our review focused particularly on a number of ‘sensitive areas’, so called because of their small-lot, fine grain character which is least able to accommodate change. Our recommendations included changes to better reflect current development conditions in the area, to clarify Council’s intent in relation to development in certain precincts and simplify the controls.