This week the State Government introduced new regulations to limit the
size of Melbourne city skyscrapers. The aim is to avoid excessive population
density in the city.
The draft rules set a floor area ratio of
18:1, meaning a 1000 sq m site could have floor space of 18,000 sq m — or 18
storeys. Buildings exceeding that ratio would need to demonstrate
special value to the city and developers may be able to offer community benefits such as a new park, public space within a
building or affordable housing. The current street frontage
minimum height will be reduced from 40m to 20m and there are new provisions on
podium/tower set backs.The option to exchange height for community benefit is
consistent with policies in other major global cities like Toronto and New
York.
Last year it was announced that, as part of the new controls, Melbourne
City Council will also be given a seat at the table in deciding applications
for skyscrapers, becoming a formal referral authority for the first time since
the early 1980s. A critical report
completed earlier in 2015 year by a senior Melbourne City Council officer found
that apartment towers in central Melbourne were being built at four times the
maximum densities allowed in some of the world's most crowded cities. Lord
Mayor Robert Doyle said the city "welcomed with open arms" being made
a referral authority that the planning minister would now be forced to consult.
He congratulated the minister on the initiative.