During March the City of Melbourne undertook Phase 3 of the community engagement process seeking feedback on the draft master plan that was released in February for the pending Queen Victoria Market redevelopment. Approximately 4,400 people participated in the engagement process and a further 1,120 surveys were completed by a diverse cross section of interested parties comprising market traders, local residents, local workers, customers, visitors and stakeholders.

This third round of engagement followed the earlier two phases conducted in November 2013 and April-May 2014 respectively, which helped to inform and develop the draft master plan.

The Draft Master Plan outlined a variety of proposals to revitalise the market precinct with a strong focus placed on improving the trader, customer and community experience. The Draft Master Plan divided QVM into four distinct quarters, each linked by a market cross of public spaces within the precinct. It is connected to the rest of the city by the grid of surrounding city streets. The intent is to coordinate a suite of projects that can be developed with a degree of independence from each other, while complementing each other and contributing to the precinct as a whole. It also enables targeted consultation and stakeholder input, in-depth investigations, exploration of options, and detailed resolution of proposals that can be delivered in stages. City of Melbourne Draft Master Plan

QVM Draft Master Plan. Image © City of Melbourne

The engagement process elicited a range of feedback on the draft master plan an overview of the key findings is summarized below:

Opening Hours : the majority of both the traders and the public participants are supportive of the concept to enhance the market as a destination that provides a changeable range of offers.

: the majority of both the traders and the public participants are supportive of the concept to enhance the market as a destination that provides a changeable range of offers. Use of open space : both the traders and the public showed a preference for programmed markets and events in the new open space proposed for Q3 – Quarter Three.

: both the traders and the public showed a preference for programmed markets and events in the new open space proposed for Q3 – Quarter Three. Access : while traders said that improved car parking would improve access to the market, public participants said that improved pedestrian amenity and safety would make it easier for them to access the market.

: while traders said that improved car parking would improve access to the market, public participants said that improved pedestrian amenity and safety would make it easier for them to access the market. Heritage : both the traders and the public participants said that they preferred artwork, signage or landscape features as ways to celebrate the market’s history.

: both the traders and the public participants said that they preferred artwork, signage or landscape features as ways to celebrate the market’s history. Market Cross: the most common suggestion by traders and public participants for Market Cross was public seating.

Next steps

Next month the final draft of the Queen Victoria Market Precinct Master Plan will be released for final community feedback before being presented to council for adoption in June. From July onwards the master plan will begin to be implemented with detailed scoping and the preparation of concepts and options for each quarter. Running parallel to this is the City of Melbourne's settlement of the Munro site.

By December a strategy will have been developed to implement the master plan with renewal works set to commence during 2016. Beyond this a series of key milestones are proposed with August 2019 seeing the removal of the existing roundabout and delivery of New Franklin Street, with existing car parking relocated elsewhere within the precinct, likely to be the Munro site.

By August 2022 it is envisaged that the new open space will have been developed over the existing car park with the final stage - the development site to the south of New Franklin Street to be developed by August 2026. These timelines are subject to change based on input and the desires and aspirations of the private sector to deliver the project in stages over a 10 year period, or in a much more constricted timeframe.

For more information see the City of Melbourne's Draft Master Plan for the Queen Victoria Market Renewal and the Phase 3 Engagement Report.