For those who have glanced across disused rail yards while driving over Melbourne’s north on the Citylink freeway, many may not realise that a new suburb is underway.
Considered a bit of a rarity for a central city location, a large area of land, (approximately fifty hectares) wedged between Kensington and North Melbourne’s streets is mostly government owned, presenting a unique opportunity for a clever urban renewal project that will have a dramatic effect on our city, our employment options and the landscape of our inner-west.
The project initially launched as Arden-Macaulay in 2012 and has since been separated into three specific urban renewal projects, namely; Macaulay, West Melbourne and Arden.
Arden itself is a new suburb consisting of three main locales;
- Arden North: “Consists mostly of government-owned land and will contain the new Arden Station and a large new public space”,
- Arden Central: “Characterised by wide, tree-lined streets, small-scale industrial buildings and the North Melbourne Recreation Reserve”, and
- Laurens Street: “Characterised by wide, tree-lined streets and a mix of industrial sites, heritage buildings and low-rise apartments and terraces.”
(Source: Participate Melbourne’s Draft Arden Structure Plan)
Arden is cleverly integrated within the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project, linking North Melbourne to a large array of new and existing stations in the next few years, including the airport in 2029.
Cleverly designed to take the strain off the City Loop and create stops in popular areas, (namely St Kilda Road and Parkville’s university precinct), commuters can shave significant time off their trips by adopting the new metro tunnel lines.
Offering a convenient link to many stations, including the airport train line, regular inter-city commuters will no doubt place a value on a lifestyle in and around this new precinct.
So when is the project set to roll out, and when will we see signs of the birth of a new suburb?
The rail project is well-underway and it’s impossible for inner-urban Melburnians to avoid the traffic gridlocks and construction mess as each new station is constructed. Public transport delays and bus-replacing-train services are a common sidestep for many travellers these days. Arden station’s artist’s renders promise us an edgy, industry-themed station made from locally produced red bricks.
Developers are particularly active with high density buildings in the precinct, and aesthetic character seems to be a common discussion point in many of the consultation announcements. Community consultation was facilitated in 2020 and concerned ranged from worry about overdevelopment to insufficient parking, loss of character and a need for affordable housing.
The project is set to span thirty years and will involve rezoning, two new schools, (both primary and secondary), mixed use developments, characteristic laneways in keeping with some of our inner-city lanes, and significant open green spaces.
The draft structure plan can be read here.
Exciting for Melbourne’s inner-north/west, and a game-changer for travellers utilising rail services to navigate our bustling city, we also think Arden, (and the metro tunnel project) will have an enormously positive effect on Footscray, Kensington, Flemington, Sunshine and Sunbury. As the inner-ring surrounding areas continue to gentrify and find their place on the foodie map, we can anticipate property value growth to continue trending upwards, particularly for period houses and character buildings.
Other links:
https://www.invest.vic.gov.au/news-and-events/news/2020/june/a-blueprint-for-the-new-arden-precinct
https://www.urban.com.au/news/the-current-state-of-play-within-arden-macaulay
https://metrotunnel.vic.gov.au/about-the-project/project-overview
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