THE City of Melbourne Future Melbourne Committee last week endorsed the Southbank Structure Plan, a 30-year vision for the city area, which aims to improve streetscapes, create more public spaces and provide better local amenities for residents, workers and visitors.

The final Southbank Structure Plan follows a two-month community consultation process that resulted in more than 80 written submissions.

Future Melbourne (Planning) Committee Chair, Cr Peter Clarke said the Southbank Structure Plan would accommodate the precinct's growth through good urban planning and design. He said the community had asked for open space, active and attractive main streets through Southbank, stronger building height controls and better provision of social infrastructure.

A proposed planning scheme amendment, Melbourne Planning Scheme Amendment C171, will implement land use and built form actions from the structure plan. It sets standards for new high-rise development in relation to building heights, podium heights and distance between towers.

In response to a growing trend for building applications to exceed height limits in Southbank (such as the recent VCAT approval of a 226 metre tower), it is proposed that discretion to allow increased height above the preferred maximum be limited to an additional 20 per cent and only if a demonstrable community benefit could be derived.

Mr Clark said that consideration needs to be given to the impact that tall buildings will have on the city and that comfortable densities that reinforce Southbank's character are required.

The amendment proposes to extend capital city and mixed use zones through Southbank, to recognise Southbank's role as part of the central city.

It also includes restrictions on the development of new car parks, provides for through-block pedestrian connections to make Southbank more walkable and sets requirements for active street frontages along key pedestrian routes.

The City of Melbourne will now ask the Planning Minister to approve Amendment C171 for public exhibition. Once approved, members of the public will have the opportunity to review and comment on the proposed changes.