Historic market under threat from Australia's 'high-rise rush'

Plans to build two high-rise residential apartment blocks as part of a proposed re-development of the historic Queen Victoria Market are proving controversial.

Queen Victoria Market. Source: SBS

Australia is experiencing what a leading planner calls a "high-rise rush" which threatens the amenity and liveability of our major cities.

Professor of Planning at RMIT University Michael Buxton says too many residential apartment buildings are being built and plans to construct two more at the Queen Victoria Market site in Melbourne should be reconsidered.

The City of Melbourne wants to spend $250 million redeveloping the market in a project that includes moving and restoring some of its historic sheds, building an underground car park and converting the existing car park into an activity space.

Professor Buxton says more residential towers will only end up destroying what attracts people to city centres in the first place.

"If we don't stop this relentless push of seemingly unending high-rise residential or commercial development in our central city cores, we're going to destroy our greatest assets, he told SBS."

"Governments can't go on wanting the money, the revenue from developments, the growth and, at the same time, trumpeting Australia's liveability and its wonderful historic cities. They're incompatible."

Miriam Faine from Friends of the Queen Victoria Market told SBS the redevelopment goes too far and all the site needs is free parking and some weather protection.

She says the towers are definitely not needed.

"Melbourne has been residential towered out and we know that a lot of towers are empty," she said.

The Chief Executive of the Victoria Market, Malcolm McCullough has defended the development plans.

He told SBS it is about securing the market's future and expanding the number of traders.

"The intention we have with the renewal is we're putting infrastructure underground and that's going to give us more space to put more traders into the market over the next few years," he said.

The City of Melbourne is due to meet next week to consider the development plans.