knox central structure plan · •7. achieving high quality built form and public realm - the draft...

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• What is Knox Central?• What is the Knox Central Structure Plan and ‘Planning Scheme Amendment C149’?• What is Council’s proposed future for Knox Central?• Why is this happening now?• Is all of this set in stone? Can I have a say?• Where can I get more information?• How can I provide my feedback to Council?• What happens next?

Knox Central Structure Plan

Draft Knox Central Structure Plan and Planning Scheme Amendment C149

What is Knox Central?Knox Central is essentially Knox’s ‘CBD’. The boundaries of the Knox Central Activity Centre are shown in the map below. Knox Central serves a broad cross-section of the community within Knox and across the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Anchored by the shopping centre it includes retail, residential, industrial, commercial, educational uses, along with significant areas of open space.

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Map of Knox Central – activity centre boundary shown in heavy black line (green shading shows open space, reserves and landscaped roadways).

What is the Knox Central Structure Plan and ‘Planning Scheme Amendment C149’?

of 5Knox Central Structure Plan - Knox City Council

16/11/2016http://www.knox.vic.gov.au/c149

The Knox Central Structure Plan is a strategic plan that provides a vision, objectives and actions for the future of the Knox Central Activity Centre. The Structure Plan includes guidance for changes to land use, built form including building heights , transport networks and public spaces that together can achieve positive economic, social and environmental outcomes. It will provide the direction for public and private investment and development over the next 20 years. Access the draft Structure Plan here or via the link below.

In order to facilitate the changes proposed in the draft Structure Plan, changes to the Knox Planning Scheme are required. The proposed planning scheme changes relating to Knox Central (known as ‘Amendment C149’) are provided in draft form alongside the draft Structure Plan, so that landowners and the community can provide feedback on the proposed planning controls as well as the higher level direction provided in the Structure Plan itself. You may access the amendment documents via this link to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website.

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What is Council’s proposed future for Knox Central?The draft Knox Central Structure Plan proposes the following vision for the future of Knox Central:

“Knox Central will be a vibrant modern mixed-use activity centre that attracts residents, workers and visitors from across Melbourne’s east. It will be the most well known and popular destination in the east of Melbourne.It will be a busy and attractive urban centre which has a strong connection to the natural environment. It will provide a focus for public life, connecting people and communities, and will be an attractive place to live, work, and play. Knox Central’s physical form, encompassing a distinctive boulevard presence along Burwood Highway alongside the well-activated Blind Creek Corridor and Lewis Park, will provide a unique Activity Centre presence in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.”

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Artist’s Impression: Possible future Burwood Highway conditions, entering Knox Central from the city.

To achieve this vision, the draft Structure Plan has the following seven areas of focus:

• 1. Enhancing Knox Central’s role as the civic and public heart of the municipality – the draft Structure Plan identifies the location for a future civic/community precinct adjacent to Lewis Park. Access the Precinct Plan and Precinct Vision and Objectives here or via the link below.

• 2. Enabling the development of high quality medium and higher density housing - the Structure Plan identifies existing and additional locations that could be suitable for medium and higher density residential development.

• 3. Establishing Knox Central as a focal point of activity including employment, retail, community, entertainment and leisure activity – the draft Structure Plan provides a framework to support a variety of activities. Access the Precinct Plan and Precinct Vision and Objectives here or via the link below.

• 4. Capitalising on Knox Central’s natural and environmental features – the draft Structure Plan identifies actions to enhance the natural environment in Knox including a detailed master plan for Lewis Park and the Blind Creek corridor.

• 5. Facilitating an accessible and safe active and public transport network – the draft Structure Plan identifies areas of focus for improving public transport and walking/cycling to and within Knox Central.

• 6. Providing an efficient street network- the draft Structure Plan identifies locations for future new road connections within Knox Central and improvements to existing roads.



• 7. Achieving high quality built form and public realm - the draft Structure Plan provides detailed guidance for building and development, and includes discretionary height controls for buildings to support more intensive development in Knox Central (ranging up to approximately 13 storeys in some locations along Burwood Highway). Access the Built Form Framework Plan – Preferred Building Heights here or via the link below.

Why is this happening now?This is the first time in over a decade that Council has spoken with the community about the future of Knox Central. The time is right for Council and the community to focus on Knox Central for a number of reasons:

Top• In 2015, Council adopted the Knox Housing Strategy which designates Knox Central as an area that will

accommodate higher density housing. Focusing higher density residential development in locations such as Knox Central supports Council’s and the community’s desire to maintain the low scale character of Knox’s suburban streets.

• The approval of a significant expansion of Westfield Knox and recent developments such as Kubix, Knoxia and the redevelopment at Villa Maria signal increased investment and development in the area.

• Demand for higher density housing across outer suburban Melbourne has grown and this is increasingly the case in Knox. Knox Central is well-placed to respond to this shift, with large areas of underutilised land.

• Recent infrastructure improvements - most notably, Eastlink which provides improved connections between Knox and the broader Melbourne metropolitan area.

Artist’s Impression – Possible future Burwood Highway conditions

Is all of this set in stone? Can I have a say?Council has adopted a draft Structure Plan for the purpose of public consultation and nothing is set in stone at this stage. Council has completed a large amount of research that has informed the draft Structure Plan. The background research can be accessed at the bottom of this webpage. It is now time to find out what you think about the ideas in the draft. This is your chance to provide your input into the future of Knox’s CBD.

Almost everyone in Knox has some connection to Knox Central – for shopping, school, recreation or simply driving through. Council is keen to hear your feedback on the ideas for Knox Central outlined in the draft Structure Plan.

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Where can I get more information?Top• Attend: a drop-in session on Tuesday 29 November, 10am – 1pm and 5pm – 8pm, at the Knox Civic Centre to

speak to Council staff about the plan for Knox Central and how you can have your say;• Access: the draft documents and background documents at the links provided at the bottom of this webpage.

You may also access the amendment documents at the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website;



• View: a hard copy of the draft documents at: The Knox Civic Centre (Building and Planning counter), 511 Burwood Hwy, Wantirna South weekdays 8:30am to 5pm (except Tuesdays: 8:30am to 8pm) or at a Knox local library - Bayswater Branch Library, Boronia Branch Library, Ferntree Gully Branch Library, Knox Branch Library, Rowville Branch Library;

• Email: [email protected]• Call: City Futures Team at Council on 9298 8000.

How can I provide my feedback to Council?In order for your feedback to be considered by Council, a written submission is required. A written submission can be lodged:

Top• Online: Submit an online submission form;• By email: [email protected];• By post: Attention: Submission to Amendment C149, City Futures, Knox City Council, Reply paid 70243,

WANTIRNA SOUTH VIC 3152.

Submissions must be received before 5pm on Friday 16 December 2016.Your written submission must include your name, postal address and the reference number Amendment C149.

What happens next?All submissions will be considered by Council.

If submissions cannot be resolved by Council, a Planning Panel will be appointed. Anyone who has made a submission can be heard by the Panel. If a submitter does not want to be heard in person, the written submission is considered.

Following a Panel Hearing (if required), Council will receive a report from the Panel with recommendations about how to proceed with Amendment C149. Council may then decide whether or not to adopt Amendment C149, or adopt the Amendment with changes. Council will also consider whether to adopt the Knox Central Structure Plan at this stage. If adopted by Council, Amendment C149 only becomes part of the Knox Planning Scheme if and when it is approved by the Minister for Planning.

All submitters will be notified of when Amendment C149 will next be considered by Council. Submitters will also be contacted by Planning Panels Victoria (if a Panel Hearing is required).

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File Downloads• Draft Knox Central Structure Plan endorsed for

public exhibition (PDF 11.42MB)• Built Form Framework Plan – Preferred Building

Heights (excerpt from the draft Structure Plan) (PDF 919KB)

• Precinct Plan and Precinct Vision and Objectives (excerpt from the draft Structure Plan) (PDF 848KB)

• Knox Central Structure Plan - Key Issues Background Report endorsed for public exhibition (PDF 8.54MB)

• Knox Central Land Use Economic and Property Analysis 2015 (updated August 2016) Geografia (20.98MB)

• Knox Central Integrated Transport Study - May 2016 - Cardno – Part 1 (PDF 8.07MB)

• Knox Central Integrated Transport Study - May 2016 - Cardno – Part 2 (PDF 9.81MB)

• Burwood Highway Design Guidelines 2016 - Hansen Partnership (PDF 7.31MB)

• Knox Central Views and Vistas Study 2016 - Hansen Partnership (PDF 4.04MB)



• Knox Central Urban Design Framework (PDF 15.24MB)

• Minutes of the 13 September 2016 Strategic Planning Committee



45 KNOX CENTRAL STRUCTURE PLAN – DRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION (SEPTEMBER 2016) | Knox City Council

BUILT FORM FRAMEWORK – PREFERRED BUILDING HEIGHTS

Figure 15 Built Form Framework - Preferred Building Heights

The Knox Central Structure Plan seeks to be an enabling document that encourages an intensification of activity and development within the Activity Centre. The preferred building heights shown Figure 15 seek to provide guidance to developers and the community on the likely future urban form of Knox Central. They are not intended to be prescriptive or mandatory heights. Rather, they represent a starting point for discussion between Council and landowners regarding the capacity of development sites. In considering the appropriate scale of development on individual sites, consideration will be given to the architectural quality of proposed buildings; the appropriate level of impacts on sensitive interfaces; the contribution the building makes to the public realm; and any constraints of the site. Developments that exceed the preferred building height must demonstrate that the design is of exceptional quality and would exceed the high design quality already expected within the Activity Centre. Development adjacent to a sensitive residential interface must also demonstrate that additional amenity impacts would not result from additional height.

knox central structure plan · •7. achieving high quality built form and public realm - the draft...

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