Feedback on the amended CBD South Precinct Development Plan

The amended CBD South Precinct Development Plan was available for public display and comment from Wednesday 11 May 2022 until Wednesday 1 June 2022.

As part of the amended Development Plan submission to the Minister for Planning, Cross Yarra Partnership (CYP) provided all written comments received during the stakeholder and community consultation period.

In total, 27 submissions were received for the amended CBD South Precinct Development Plan. The key issues raised in feedback received included:

materials and finishes
pedestrian, bicycle and transport integration
architectural design response
crime prevention through environmental design
landscape and public realm.

Materials and finishes

The station design materials and finishes have been selected in consultation with City of Melbourne and the Office of the Victorian Government Architect (OVGA), and comply with the City of Melbourne Design Standards in accordance with the Project Scope and Technical Requirements. The CBD South precinct has been designed with a carefully selected materials and finishes palette to reflect the surrounding buildings, civic squares and laneways.

Materials such as concrete, steel, glass and aluminium have been selected as part of the station's design to reflect the surrounding. Other finishes, such as granite and bluestone cladding is reflective of other project stations and strengthens the line wide identity.

The design of Federation Square station entry is being developed in consultation with Heritage Victoria and Federation Square and the material schedule has been updated from the previously proposed yellow colour.

Pedestrian, bicycle & transport integration

The CBD South precinct presents an opportunity to create unique and engaging public spaces which focuses on pedestrian and cyclist movement throughout the precinct. This will be encapsulated through the reinvigorated City Square and civic space nestled between Flinders Lane, Swanston Street and Flinders Street.

The intersection of Swanston and Flinders Street is an area of frequent pedestrian overcrowding. In order to address future demands, multiple entry/exit points to Town Hall Station will be provided via Collins Street (City Square), Swanston Street / Flinders Street and off Flinders Street. This will cater for more efficient and safe movement of passengers. Wider crossings are now proposed on three of four crossings. The southern crossing has been further widened to 8m compared to 7m.

Regarding the Flinders Lane shared zone, the design has been developed in consultation with the City of Melbourne.

Comments were also received regarding increased pedestrian numbers flowing to and from the new Station, and a potential increase in vehicle movements for the logistics, deliveries and waste removal from the Station. Extensive specialist traffic and pedestrian modelling and assessments have been undertaken as part of the design development to support the design solution.

Overall, the CBD South precinct has been designed to prioritise active and public transport options. The station entrances have been designed to directly link to existing public transport facilities. The underground connection between Town Hall Station and Flinders Street Station will provide a seamless connection between train lines, and will increase pedestrian movements to the Melbourne CBD and connection to Birrarung Marr, relieving pressure on Flinders Street/Swanston Street pedestrian crossings.

Architectural design response

The design vision for the CBD South precinct reflects a reimagined city entry that draws together Melbourne’s great cultural and civic buildings in a majestic pedestrian precinct. Proximity of the station to the historical Swanston Street buildings, St Paul’s Cathedral and Flinders Street Station underpin the precinct’s identity.

The Flinders Oversite Development station entry includes laneway entrances, a public square and station shutters for station close to improve safety. The critical infrastructure includes tunnel exhaust, ventilation and cooling systems, plant rooms and shared loading facilities for retail.

Cooling tower structures were relocated to better align the below ground and above ground infrastructure and rationalise these elements away from the Flinders Street elevation. This relocation made use of the existing building structure and footprint and does not change the exhaust strategy from the previous development plan. Services planning has been undertaken in the context of the full precinct and planning requirements.

The Federation Square entrance has been designed to use existing public realm and architecture. The design of Federation Square entrance is being developed in consultation with Heritage Victoria and Federation Square. The architectural design response of this entry ensures that the visual impact in the area is minimised as to not detract from nearby landmark buildings such as Flinders Street Railway Station and St Paul’s Cathedral. The size of the Federation Square entry portal is defined by the predicted pedestrian flows. The height of the entrance portal is commensurate with its functional footprint, and landscape elements maintain a similar massing to the original design intent of Federation Square.

Crime prevention through environmental design

The principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) have been adopted in CBD South to offer a safer station experience.

To discourage loitering and antisocial behaviour illuminated alleyways have been specified as part of the Project Scope and Technical Requirements. The CBD South station landscape design has been developed with reference to the principles of CPTED, to ensure that a safe and defensible environment is provided for the public using the station and its environs. The landscape design facilitates the passive surveillance of spaces and maximises visual connectivity to support safe behaviour and facilitate activation of the station landscape and ultimately the broader precinct.

Lighting will allow surveillance along the length of the laneways, where the station is operational outside of retail opening hours, lighting will be maintained at a level that allows easy observation of activity in the laneways. Screens/façade in the laneways will be clear to allow sight lines around and across corners.

Landscape and public realm

The CBD South precinct functions as the front door to Melbourne’s civic and cultural destinations. The focus of landscaping in CBD South is City Square, which will be reinvigorated with new tree plantings and garden boxes. Other landscaping works include additional tree plantings along Swanston Street.

CYP also notes that landscape elements within City Square do not obstruct views of heritage significance. The proposed linear plantings have been designed to direct and reinforce views to St Pauls Cathedral. Views to the Town Hall from City Square are maintained. The design of City Square has been developed in consultation with City of Melbourne.

To deliver a major project of this scale and complexity, some tree removal is required to allow the safe construction of stations and associated infrastructure. The Project is committed to protecting and retaining as many trees as possible. The design process considers any tree impacts on an individual – tree by tree – basis and methodologies are adjusted wherever possible to protect trees. The Project’s overall objective is to double tree canopy across the entire Metro Tunnel Project.

The amended CBD South Precinct Development Plan proposes 26 trees for removal (30 trees required removal in the previously approved Development Plan). This includes 19 trees which have already been removed for early works. Upon project completion, The Metro Tunnel Project will reinstate 41 trees across the precinct.