A proposal that involves the establishment of three towers and a public green square at the southern end of Naarm/Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market (QVM) is one step closer to becoming a reality, following Heritage Victoria’s decision to grant permit approval for the heritage aspect of the plan.
The QVM holds great cultural and historical significance for Melburnians. A much-loved food and retail market has operated from the site since the 1870s. Prior to that the land was used as Naarm/Melbourne’s first official cemetery, established in 1837. Despite the cemetery having closed in 1917, it is estimated that there is still 6,500 to 9,000 burials present on the site.
In June 2023, plans for a mixed-use redevelopment on the southern side of site were revealed, with the project estimated to cost $1.7 billion. Designed by NH Architecture, Kerstin Thompson Architects, 3XN Australia, Searle × Waldron Architecture, Openwork, McGregor Coxall, Lovell Chen and Urbis, the vision for the project is to create an activated southern precinct, to be known as Gurrowa Place. Under the plans, three towers would be constructed providing a mix of student accommodation, residential apartments, and work spaces.
The same month plans were released, Heritage Victoria received a heritage permit application regarding the project, specifically concerning the conservation and adaptive re-use of several stores on Franklin Street, the transformation of the existing open-air carpark to create 1.8 hectares of public open space, and the creation of two towers into the airspace above the Franklin Street stores.
Heritage Victoria granted the heritage permit on the grounds that a significant portion of the application lies outside their jurisdiction. While the permit states that the towers are the “most impactful” part of the proposed development, only Towers One and Two partially pertain to the Heritage Act 2017. This is because they have been created with a partial cantilever that extends into the airspace above the Franklin Street stores canopy. Furthermore, a section of the basement in both buildings falls within the extent of registration.
In their assessment of the application, Heritage Victoria concluded that the “cantilever of Towers One and Two over the Franklin Street Stores canopy will have a limited impact on the cultural heritage significance of QVM when considered in the context of the place in its entirety.
“The proposed conservation works to the Franklin Street Stores are a positive heritage outcome and will remove unsympathetic accretions, reconstruct removed elements and return the stores to an earlier and more appropriate appearance.
“Replacement of the existing carpark with public open space (Market Square) represents the former use of the place as a cemetery, is more respectful of the estimated 6,500 to 9,000 burials still remaining at the place and will be carried out in a way which will not substantially disturb the subsurface area.”
Tower Three and the Queens Corner Building were excluded from the heritage permit application as they have no relevant heritage requirements.
Under the plans, three towers would be constructed providing a mix of student accommodation, residential apartments, and work spaces.
Image: NH Architecture, Kerstin Thompson Architects, 3XN Australia, and Searle × Waldron Architecture.
The City of Melbourne stated the precinct would be complementary to a number of nearby projects recently completed or soon to be delivered, including “heritage shed restoration, the new Munro library and community hub, hospitality and retail offerings in the Munro development and Mirvac’s build-to-rent project on Therry Street.”
The heritage permit, will now be assessed separately by the state planning department. The permit will expire if construction on the project has not commenced within two years of the permit issue date. Additionally, the permit will no longer apply to the site if the project is not completed within six years of the permit issue date.
For project updates, visit the City of Melbourne website.
