Johnston Street Local Area Plan

Adopted in December 2015 following extensive community consultation, the Johnston Street Local Area Plan guides future land use, urban design and public realm improvements for the Johnston Street activity centre and study area.

The study area

The study area for the Johnston Street Local Area Plan extends along Johnston Street from the Yarra River (Abbotsford) at the eastern end through to Smith Street (Collingwood) in the west, as shown on the map below: 

What is the purpose of the Local Area Plan? 

The Johnston Street Local Area Plan will be used to manage and guide change for the Johnston Street Activity Centre and provides the basis for future planning scheme amendments (currently Amendment C220). The Plan provides focus and direction on matters such as changes in land-use and activity, physical changes to streets and public areas, design and scale of buildings, transport and sustainability. 

The Local Area Plan sets out a proposed vision for the future of the Johnston Street Activity Centre and includes a series of objectives and strategies that outline how that vision would be achieved. 

It will be used to:

  • Provide guidance in decision making for new development
  • Coordinate better community services
  • Improve active transport, including pedestrian and cycling access and movements
  • Plan physical changes to streetscapes
  • Guide public and private sector development
  • Advocate for, and coordinate action by government departments and agencies

The plan focuses on four key themes:

  • Land Use
  • Public Spaces
  • Access and Movement
  • Built Form

View the Johnston Street Local Area Plan & supporting documents 

Future land use opportunities

Under the plan, Johnston Street will continue to evolve into a more vibrant, liveable and accessible place with a diverse mix of commercial activity occurring at street level and commercial and residential uses occurring at upper levels. The plan seeks to encourage pedestrian activity at street level with more active shopfronts so that pedestrians engage more with shops and cafes. The plan also identifies opportunities for concentrated forms of development close to Victoria Park Station so people can live and work closer to public transport. Living clusters around the station will contribute more street activity and help to form an important hub in the future.   

Urban design and built form 

The design of new developments will be expected to respond to the unique character of parts of the study area, respecting its heritage and respecting the interface with laneways, neighbouring residential properties and the Yarra River corridor (east of Trenerry Crescent). Developments should also help generate street activity in a positive way by improving the interface with the public realm and providing opportunities for passive surveillance of the street to improve pedestrian safety and amenity.