Stage two of University Square moves ahead with council approval

City of Melbourne councillors have unanimously voted in support of issuing planning permission for stage two of University Square, marking a major step forward in the long-anticipated project.

The latest instalment of the transformation of University Square was considered by councillors at the August 19 Future Melbourne Committee meeting.

The original masterplan for University Square was initially endorsed in 2016 to support park expansion and improvements with stage one works completed in 2019.

In 2023, an updated plan was released outlining the details of stage two and addressing the anticipated impact of the new Parkville railway station.

Extensive community consultation with stakeholders, residents, students and institutions has helped to guide the development of this refreshed plan, with a design featuring more than 2500 square metres of public open space for recreation.

New garden beds and lawn, street furniture, drinking fountains, picnic tables and bike hoops are also included.

The $8.6 million design is jointly funded by state government, The University of Melbourne and the City of Melbourne. The council has set aside $3 million for the project. 

To deliver the plan, part of Barry and Leicester streets – under occupation since 2018 and no longer considered necessary as roads – have been discontinued. This removes their road status and allows the council to manage the land as open space.

Construction will now commence once Parkville Station, delivered as part of the Victorian Government’s Metro Tunnel Project, is complete, which is expected to open before the end of 2025.

The City of Melbourne’s chair of planning and Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell described the project as “significant and long anticipated,” supporting the council’s “great ambition to expand high quality open spaces, particularly in our growing city north precinct.”

“It’s providing public green space that will be used not just by students, not just by City North residents, but I hope by everyone who comes to the City of Melbourne,” Cr Campbell said. •