About the project
Homes Victoria is redeveloping the Essex Street housing site in Prahran to provide more Victorians with a safe, secure place to call home. This project will create more high-quality homes and rental opportunities in Prahran to help tackle housing affordability.
The old social housing dwellings at Essex Street had aged and were no longer fit for purpose. That’s why we’re planning to replace them with 155 quality new 1-, 2-, 3-and 4-bedroom homes that include a mix of social, affordable, market rental and specialist disability accommodation.
The redevelopment will achieve a 37% increase in social housing as well as improved landscaping and open spaces that will complement Prahran’s diverse and active community.
New homes at Essex Street will be delivered under a Ground Lease Model, where Homes Victoria leases the land to project partner Building Communities to finance, design, build, manage and maintain the new housing over a 40-year term. This means that all the land remains in public ownership. There will be no sale of public land.
Did you know?
The 5,780 sqm site at Essex Street is located just 4kms from Melbourne’s CBD in Prahran in the City of Stonnington. The site has land capacity to provide more homes for more Victorians, and is ideally positioned close to public transport, jobs, and community services.
The new homes at Essex Street will include 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom homes to better meet housing demand in Victoria. Future housing at the Essex Street site will also include flexible design features that enable the mix of bedrooms in homes across the development to be adapted over time to accommodate changes in housing demand.
New homes at Essex Street will include specialist disability accommodation.
New homes at the site will be more comfortable and less expensive to heat and cool with a 5-star Green Star rating, and 7-star NatHERS average rating.
The redeveloped Essex Street site will better integrate with the surrounding neighbourhood and provide quality spaces that the wider community can enjoy including a community garden and café.
The project at the Essex Street site and other Ground Lease Model sites located in Hampton East, Port Melbourne and South Yarra will support approximately 7,600 jobs across the economy.
Community consultation
Between June and July 2022, we hosted stage one community consultation to encourage early ideas to shape the future of the site.
Thank you to everyone who took part in this consultation process.
Key engagement findings include:
- Quality homes that feel safe and secure
- Provide beautiful green spaces
- Community gardens for the community to enjoy
- Public art to celebrate local history and pride of place
- Bike parking and direct pathways to public transport to reduce reliance on cars
- Minimise noise and other impacts during demolition and construction.
You can read more about stage one engagement for Essex Street on the Engage Victoria website.
What happens next?
Between 23 November and 20 December 2023, we’ll be asking for community feedback on proposed plans for the Essex Street, Prahran housing site.
Community engagement on this project will be carried out in accordance with Clause 52.20 of the Stonnington Planning Scheme. Clause 52.20 is a streamlined planning process that facilitates development of new housing through the Victorian Government’s Big Housing Build initiative. This process removes the standard planning notice and appeals processes. The planning application will be decided by the Minister for Planning.
Homes Victoria will call on residents, property owners, the community, Council and other stakeholders to view the plans for the Essex Street, Prahran housing site and provide feedback until 20 December 2023. Find out more about the Essex Street, Prahran community engagement here.
Project timeline
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Project announcement
December 2021
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Residents at Essex Street supported to relocate
December 2021 onwards
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Stage 1- community consultation
June-July 2022
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Enabling works
Early 2023
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Appointment of project group to deliver project
Late 2023
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Stage 2- community consultation
23 November - 20 December 2023
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Main works construction commencement (pending approvals)
Late 2024
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Construction completion
By the end of 2026
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Renters welcomed back to new homes
From late 2026
Translating and interpreting service
For languages other than English, please call 131 450.
Community updates
Newsletters
Fact sheets
Translated Factsheets
Contact us
Email icon:For more information about the redevelopment of the Essex Street housing site in Prahran please contact us: enquiries@homes.vic.gov.au
Phone icon:1800 950 100
For languages other than English, please call 131 450.