Williamstown Foreshore Strategic Plan 2010 - Parks Victoria

5.2.6 Knights Slipway siteA proposal at the Knight’s Slipway site has gained CoastalManagement Act Consent. The Consent is for the use anddevelopment of coastal Crown land for a maximum twostorey building, including marine services, boat sales, marinemaintenance and repair and basement car park. It does notinclude any development in the water or additional berths.A Planning Permit (No. 20080799) has also been issued bythe Minister for Planning. The Permit is subject to a numberof conditions, including the need to submit amended planswith an annotation confirming future public access along theforeshore. The inclusion of a public path along the front ofthe site is considered to be a critical first step to achieving theforeshore promenade within this Precinct.5.2.7 The Williamstown Seaworks siteThe Williamstown Seaworks site occupies approximately 2.74hectares of Crown land with direct water frontage to HobsonsBay, commanding views of the Melbourne skyline and streetfrontage to historic Nelson Place. Parks Victoria is Committeeof Management for the site.The site has cultural and historic significance dating back tothe 1850s when it operated as Melbourne’s immigration arrivalpoint and later a site for ship building and other maritimeindustrial activities. Key facilities on the site today include amix of heritage listed buildings and sheds, local Parks Victoriawork-centre office, operating piers, jetties and slipways, andtwo large open display sheds that are currently used for events,shows and festivals.The site is currently significantly underutilised and in poorcondition with limited access, but moving into the future it iswell placed to provide a focal point for Williamstown in termsof tourism and recreational activities, as well as playing animportant future commercial role. Any future development willneed to be sympathetic to the maritime heritage of the siteand consistent with the Williamstown Seaworks Site StrategicDevelopment Plan, which is currently being prepared as aseparate exercise.The site has strong community support for its restoration andreactivation as a public space that would position Williamstownas a tourism destination of national significance.The Seaworks Foundation, a community based not for profitorganisation, was established in 2006 to transform the siteand establish facilities that celebrate the early maritime historyof Williamstown and a place for docking Tall Ships. Theestablishment of the Seaworks Foundation was the result ofcollaboration between Parks Victoria, Hobsons Bay City Council,Williamstown Maritime Association and the Victorian StateGovernment as a framework to progress the vision for the site.The first step in opening the site for public access will seeVictoria University establish a maritime education facility onthe site.40