Coburg is here: Merri-bek City Council releases central Coburg concept for community feedback
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Rich in character, thriving business and job opportunities, and where leafy streets connect public spaces with diverse housing – this is Merri-bek City Council’s concept for the future of central Coburg.
Merri-bek City Council has shared a bold new concept for community feedback to develop its landholdings in central Coburg, while also balancing the suburb’s rich culture and history. This has been a long-standing ambition of Council, building on extensive community consultation over the last 15 years.
Coburg is ready for renewal. Major projects like the completed level crossing removal and the upcoming Coburg Health Hub on Bell Street mean there is strong momentum and community support for positive change.
With the $60 million new library and piazza as the centrepiece, the draft concept – titled ‘Coburg is Here’ – features more retail, office and business space, around 1,000 new apartments and townhouses of all sizes, and upgrades to Waterfield Street, Victoria Street, Victoria Street Mall, Louisa Street and Russell Street.
Other features include:
- Over 8,000 square metres of new businesses and shops and over 2,000 square metres of office space.
- 15 appropriately located buildings across six sites, featuring a range of proposed heights from three to 18 storeys.
- Over 6,000 square metres of new public space in the plan, including six new public open spaces: a generous piazza, two pocket parks, a courtyard, a neighbourhood park, and a linear park.
- Over 6,000 square metres of new streets and laneways
- Around 900 car parks located in three accessible locations within a two-minute walk to all parts of central Coburg.
The concept for Coburg was informed by feedback from more than 1,300 community members in 2023 and 2024, which demonstrated that the community wanted to see:
- More variety in local shops and businesses, including a night-time economy
- More open, green space and flexible public spaces
- A variety of housing options, including dwellings for families and people on low incomes, and social housing
- Better, safer and more pleasant journeys in and around the centre for walkers, riders and drivers
- Availability of parking
Merri-bek City Council Mayor Helen Davidson said central Coburg could become an even more welcoming place for people to work, visit and live under Council’s new concept.
“Central Coburg is already vibrant, but now is the time to maximise its potential as a cultural, economic and retail hub while providing family-friendly housing and retaining its rich character,” Cr Davidson said.
“With the level crossings gone, and a new health hub and state-of-the-art library on the way, this is the time for Council to guide investment in housing, shopping and green spaces so that more people can live in this fantastic community that is only a short train ride from the Melbourne CBD.
“Our community have told us what they love about living in Coburg and what they want to see in the future, and we want to hear the community’s feedback on this proposal to bring that vision to reality.”
The ‘Coburg is Here’ concept is available for public feedback now. Consultation will be open online until 18 December, with several in-person pop-up engagements also taking place during that time.
Visit the Conversations Merri-bek webpage to learn more: conversations.merri-bek.vic.gov.au/central-coburg