Review of Heritage Overlay 1 Port Melbourne ... - City of Port Phillip

1.0 Introduction
The Review of Heritage Overlay 1 (Port Melbourne) was undertaken in 2011 by Lovell Chen
Architects and Heritage Consultants for the City of Port Phillip.
This summary report outlines the rationale and methodology utilised in the review. The
report presents the conclusions and recommendations of the review, including
recommendation for amendments to the boundaries of HO1 and for the establishment of
sub-precincts within HO1. Draft citations and statements of significance for the identified
sub-precincts have been prepared and attached for inclusion in the Port Phillip Heritage
Review through a future planning scheme amendment.
1.1 Project background
Heritage Overlay 1 (also referred to throughout this report as HO1) covers a broad area of
Port Melbourne, including the Bay Street commercial area, surrounding residential
neighbourhoods and some limited industrial development concentrated near the foreshore.
The current statement of significance for the precinct, as contained in the Port Phillip
Heritage Review (an incorporated document to the Port Phillip Planning Scheme), reflects the
broadness and diversity of built form found within the area and is as follows:
The Port Melbourne Area encompasses the long established residential and
commercial streets of Port Melbourne commencing at Pickles Street in the
south and finishing at Clark Street in the north. It has historical
importance (Criterion A) as a nineteenth century working class area
associated with the growth of the Port of Melbourne and especially the
bayside shipping activities of the port and with the industrial development
of the shore line last century and the Yarra River flats this century. This
importance is demonstrated not only by the housing stock and surviving
industrial establishments but also by the diversity of commercial and
public buildings within the Area. The Area is especially valuable for its
capacity to demonstrate the life style of this close knit community during
the nineteenth century. Being surrounded by industrial land, the Bay and
the Lagoon reserves, the Area retains its discrete geographical form and
has value for its capacity to demonstrate past urban planning practices
characteristic of the pre-automobile age. These include the Bay street
strip shopping centre, the railway gardens and other reserves, the status
given to public buildings and public transport services and the mix of
residential and non-residential uses wherein street corner sites are
invariably occupied by hotels and shops establishing a distinctive
streetscape pattern.
The current review is intended to ensure the continued relevance and comprehensiveness of
the Heritage Overlay (HO) controls in Port Melbourne, through both the assessment of five
specific areas not currently included in HO1 and the identification of smaller, more consistent
sub-precincts within the existing HO1 precinct.
The key tasks identified in the Project Brief were as follows:
Part 1 Review and assess selected areas for possible inclusion in HO1
(Areas 1-5 identified on maps provided by Council)
Part 2 Review and make recommendations in relation to the existing
boundaries of HO1
Part 3 Review the current grading / planning control of a list of identified
properties within HO1 (list provided by Council)
L O V E L L C H E N 1