East Village Strategic Site

Amendment C155glen to the Glen Eira Planning Scheme

The Glen Eira Planning Scheme was approved by the Minister for Planning and gazetted on 31 March 2021 under Amendment C155glen to the Glen Eira Planning Scheme.

To view a copy of the final amendment documentation, including the East Village Comprehensive Development Plan and the East Village Development Contributions Plan, refer to:

About East Village

East Village is a 25-hectare site, located on the corner of East Boundary Road and North Road in Bentleigh East and was previously zoned for industrial and commercial uses. The plan is for the former industrial area to transition into a bustling hub of innovative jobs, open space and diverse housing. Some existing businesses will remain on the site.

The aim of the East Village plan is to provide for many of the needs of the new community within 20-minutes of where people live – including parks, schools, shopping and dining, jobs, and access to public transport.

Background information

Located 14km from Melbourne’s CBD, East Village is a 24 Hectare site on the corner of East Boundary and North Roads, Bentleigh East. The site is currently used for industrial and commercial uses.

The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) has worked in partnership with Glen Eira City Council to prepare a planning scheme amendment (Amendment C155 to the Glen Eira Planning Scheme) which proposes to rezone the land to Comprehensive Development Zone.

This rezoning is supported by a Comprehensive Development Plan and Development Contributions Plan, which will facilitate the redevelopment of this site into a new mixed use precinct. The precinct is projected to deliver:

  • 2,700 jobs
  • 2 Hectares of new open space
  • A new government secondary school
  • A new local community facility
  • A new sports pavilion and synthetic playing surfaces at Marlborough Street Reserve
  • 3,000 dwellings
  • 5% of dwellings delivered as affordable housing (150 dwellings)

The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) a Victorian Government statutory authority that plans for urban growth across Victoria. We report to the Minister for Planning. 

The VPA’s main task is to make sure Melbourne and Victoria’s regions remain great places to live and work. This requires vision and long-term planning to ensure our growing population has equitable access to employment, public transport, attractive public spaces and affordable housing. 

We do this by working closely with councils, government agencies and the planning and development community on integrated land use and infrastructure coordination for new communities and strategically important precincts. 

The East Village precinct was zoned for industrial uses, which is no longer considered to be the most suitable zoning.

In early 2017, the Victorian Minister for Planning directed the VPA to assist in the preparation of planning scheme amendment documentation for East Village to ensure that future development occurs in a manner that provides for sustainable ongoing commercial investment, supported by new residences and numerous community benefits.

This planning was consistent with Glen Eira City Council’s Activity Centre, Housing and Local Economy Strategy, which aimed to convert the precinct into an emerging health, education and innovation precinct.

The VPA worked closely with Glen Eira City Council throughout the preparation process. The VPA provided the planning scheme amendment documentation to Glen Eira City Council. The Glen Eira City Council is now the planning authority for the East Village site.

The precinct is currently zoned for industrial uses, which is no longer considered appropriate. This process seeks to renew the precinct and allow East Village to become a sustainable, mixed-use precinct with a focus on innovative employment and education opportunities.

A Comprehensive Development Plan is a long-term plan for urban development. It describes how land is expected to be developed and how land uses may change over time to create an employment and residential hub. It also describes where and how additional services, utilities and transport infrastructure are planned to support future development.

Future planning permit applications for development within the precinct will need to be generally consistent with the East Village Comprehensive Development Plan.

A development contributions plan outlines the levies that landowners and developers must pay to council and the state government to fund infrastructure and facilities for the new community.

The comprehensive development zone (CDZ) is the zone that is proposed to apply to the East Village Precinct. It is a planning tool that formalises the allowable uses within the precinct. The CDZ ensures that any development of land within the precinct occurs in accordance with the CDP.

Project information

The current planning controls within the Glen Eira Planning Scheme allow for buildings of up to ten storeys in height to be built within this precinct. The comprehensive development plan proposes to lower this limit, while still providing for the needs of the growing population in the area.

The amendment proposes that buildings at the edge of the precinct heights will be 3-4 stories, which is much lower than the existing controls, in order to blend in with the adjacent neighbourhoods.

Buildings of up to eight storeys in height will be allowed in the centre of the precinct, to provide diverse housing options for the new population.

The VPA and Glen Eira City Council understand that traffic is already a problem in Bentleigh East and that there are concerns about this issue becoming worse with an increase in population.

This topic has been critical in planning for the precinct and has been fundamental in how the plan has taken shape. The East Village project will deliver new signalised intersections at the following locations:

  • Leila Road / Murrumbeena Road / Crosbie Road
  • Crosbie Road / North Road / Cobar Street
  • East Boundary Road and North Drive
  • East Boundary Road and South Drive

Additionally, further traffic works such as an additional right turn from North Road into East Boundary Road will be delivered to ensure the transport network is managed appropriately.

The developers of the precinct will contribute $42 Million for the delivery of the transport infrastructure.

Yes, the open space shown will be public open space that is accessible to everyone. Overall approximately 2 Hectares (20,000sqm) of new open space will be delivered through the development of this precinct. Additionally, the soccer pitch at Marlborough Street Reserve will be upgraded to include synthetic turf to allow for more use of this recreation facility.

Flooding is an existing problem in the local area. The development of East Village will improve this existing problem through the following measures:

  • Marlborough Street Reserve will be redesigned to retain water upstream during a major flood event (1 in 100 years) and release it to move safely through the precinct and surrounding streets. This solution will reduce the amount of flood water affecting local properties.
  • The redesign of Marlborough Street Reserve will ensure that the new synthetic soccer pitches remain unaffected by floodwaters. The upgrades to the reserve and drainage works will be funded by the developers of the precinct.

Flood levels at North Road will be reduced by the proposed drainage solution, however flooding will still occur in this area during major rain events. The amendment includes planning controls which ensure that future development in this area appropriately responds to the flooding risk.

In April 2018, council prepared and endorsed the East Village Structure Plan, which is intended to be an overarching framework and vision document for the precinct.

 The East Village Comprehensive Development Plan is a planning tool which will facilitate the implementation of elements of the East Village Structure Plan.

Future planning permit applications for development must be generally consistent with the Comprehensive Development Plan.

Infrastructure Contributions

Yes. Developers will contribute approximately $62 Million towards local infrastructure needs in relation the following items:

  • Upgrades to the existing transport network
  • A new community centre, including Maternal Child Health and Kindergarten services
  • A new synthetic soccer field and upgrade works at Marlborough Street Reserve
  • A new sporting pavilion at Marlborough Street Reserve
  • Landscaping improvements at Virginia Park
  • Landscaping improvements at the new central park within the precinct
  • Redesign of Marlborough Street Reserve to address existing flooding constraints.

Future changes

Existing businesses can continue to operate as they currently do.

An artist impression of public space

Draft plan for East Village

The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) and Glen Eira City Council are progressing their vision for […]

Supporting Documentation

East Village Development Contributions Plan (City of Glen Eira) May 2020
East Village Development Contributions Plan (City of Glen Eira) May 2020 PDF  Version
East Village Comprehensive Development Plan (City of Glen Eira) May 2020
East Village Comprehensive Development Plan (City of Glen Eira) May 2020 PDF  Version
East Village - Transport Report (GTA) - October 2018
East Village - Transport Report (GTA) - October 2018 PDF  Version
Glen Eira Planning Scheme Amendment C155 – Panel Report – February 2020
Glen Eira Planning Scheme Amendment C155 – Panel Report – February 2020 PDF  Version
DRAFT Urban Design Report (MGS) - November 2017

Please note, this document is in draft form. Findings are subject to change.

DRAFT Urban Design Report (MGS) - November 2017 PDF  Version
DRAFT Environmental Conditions Summary Report (Senversa) - September 2017

Please note, this document is in draft form. Findings are subject to change.

DRAFT Environmental Conditions Summary Report (Senversa) - September 2017 PDF  Version
Community engagement newsletter - July 2017
Community engagement newsletter - July 2017 PDF  Version
East Village - Community Engagement Newsletter - November 2017
East Village - Community Engagement Newsletter - November 2017 PDF  Version