U3 - Fieldwork

Research Question

What processes are responsible for land use changes and the associated impacts that are evident in West Melbourne

Primary Data

Land use survey, walking 4 blocks and categorising land use into six categories; commercial, residential, office, unused/other, education or retail revealing current land use patterns

Secondary Data

Google Earth, satellite data from 1985 onwards, providing visual imagery of land use changes such as the number of high rise buildings and switch from factories to residential

Social Processes

population growth, due to proximity to CBD attracting residents seeking access to jobs and services. Rising rent has pushed out industrial use. The population reached 8025 in 2021 up by 204.1% from 2639 in 2001. In zone 2, 48% residential taken up by 13 properties

Economic Processes

Bid rent theory helps explain rentability. Zone 1’s proximity to the CBD compared to Zone 4 results in higher rent. 1 bed and 1 bath in Zone 1 on Jeffcott Street rents for $560 per week. Similar property on Dudley Street in Zone 4 rents for $530. 5.66% more per month to be 5 mins closer walk

Political/Historic Processes

Under Amendment C309 of the West Melbourne Structure Plan, Zones 1-3 in Flagstaff Category have a 16 story height limit to preserve heritage sites and maintain 6:1 building to green space ratio. Zone 4 in Spencer Category has a 10 story limit on Dudley Street and 8 stories on Spencer and King Street

Positive Social Impacts

Greater community safety - The West Melbourne Structure Plan aims to enhance natural surveillance and security. Spencer street is a proposed as a main street with “Active frontages” increasing visibility and thus detering crime

Negative Social Impacts

Reduced affordable housing available - 23% of people living in West Melbourne in 2021 are low income earners. Approx. 1846 people fall into this category. Plans for West Melbourne include a 6% target for affordable housing, but the agreement is “entirely voluntary” this may lead to insufficient supply

Positive Economic Impacts

Foreign Investment Opportunities - boosts Australia’s finances for development. In West Melbourne, Zone 1, 363 King Street was purchased by offshore Asian investors for $18 million in 2019, with the area seen as a “secure destination to invest,” supporting further economic development

Negative Economic Impacts

Rising property costs - transforming West Melbourne to be more desirable has “100%” increased property value and rental pricing due to the “demand in residential” (Waterdale Estate Agents, Zone 3) properties. There is a “4% rent increase every year” (Rosyln Cafe, Zone 4) due to demand for commercial property impacting businesses

Positive Environmental Impacts

Enhance green space - developers “definitely aim to have a more environmentally friendly” (Waterdale Estate Agents, Zone 3) suburb promoting wellbeing. This will be achieved through planned schemes to “unlock 10,000 m2 of new open space” such as on the intersection of Batman and Spencer Street

Negative Environmental Impacts

Construction impacts for pollution - West Melbourne’s Structure Plan aiming to house nearly 9,000 more residents poses an environmental risk as construction-related emissions are expected to rise during the 2018-2040 development period

Most Effective Research Method

Secondary research - provided historical and current land use data and documents like Amendment C258 , impacting heritage sites such as St James Old Cathedral in Zone 3. Melbourne Interactive Map supported sections 3.1 and 3.2 showing 2000 land uses and identifying 25% of Zone 3 as unused/other

Second Most Effective Research Method

Primary research - particularly conversations with local business owners, An employee at Iglu in Zone 2 noted “2 high rises have gone up in the last 2 years” highlighting recent development trends prompting further investigation

Limitation

Small number of zones studied reducing ability to compare proximity to the CBD as a factor. Including two more zones closer to the CBD would allow for deeper analysis of economic processes including bid rent theory and related impacts such as rising rent and property prices

Interconnection with the surrounding local region

The proximity of Haileybury City, located on King Street in Zone 2, in relation to public transport. Many Haileybury students take public transport from Flagstaff station, located a 5-minute walk southeast of Haileybury city and Southern Cross station, located a 13-minute walk southwest of the campus