Planning
Council approves amended Russell St function centre, despite 36 objections
The City of Melbourne has backed an amended permit for the Space Hotel on Russell St, approving changes to a long-running proposal for a rooftop function centre after finding the revised scheme would deliver better heritage and amenity outcomes.
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CBD shop vacancies fall again as Walk the CBD points to stronger city recovery
Melbourne’s CBD retail vacancy rate has fallen for a fourth consecutive year, with Fitzroys’ latest Walk the CBD report showing the city’s shopfront recovery continuing to gather pace.
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Government approves major Queen St tower as questions linger over market precinct density
A major new residential and student accommodation tower has been approved for Melbourne’s CBD, with the Victorian Government signing off on a 65-storey development at 400 Queen St that will deliver more than 1500 new homes metres from Queen Victoria Market.
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Record December caps strong rebound in Melbourne’s CBD economy
Melbourne’s CBD economy ended 2025 on a high, with December recording the biggest spending month ever captured in the City of Melbourne’s economic data, according to the council’s latest Economy Snapshot.
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Ghost bikes become flashpoint between council and cycling advocates
Decommissioned, white-painted “ghost bikes” left at sites where riders have died are emerging as a contested issue between the City of Melbourne and cycling groups, which claim they are memorials and a reminder of the need for better bike lanes.
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Queen Victoria Market records strongest visitation in years despite renewal works
Queen Victoria Market has recorded its strongest visitation in years, with a new annual report showing the historic precinct continues to draw growing crowds even as major renewal works reshape the site.
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Construction begins on major student tower at 570 Little Bourke St
Construction has officially begun on a major new student accommodation tower at 570 Little Bourke St, with project partners marking the milestone at a ground-breaking and time capsule ceremony in the CBD on March 23.
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Builder appointed for major 623 Collins St redevelopment
A builder has been appointed for the long-awaited 623 Collins St redevelopment, with Sterling Global naming Hacer Group as the preferred builder for the $610 million mixed-use project at a March 18 event in the city.
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Heritage strategy scrap exposes deep cracks in Melbourne council chamber
What should have been a routine tick-and-flick adoption of the City of Melbourne’s new Heritage Strategy became, on February 17, a 75-minute rolling debate that exposed just how fractured this council chamber has become.
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City of Melbourne touts cleaner streets as graffiti crackdown ramps up
The City of Melbourne says its intensified approach to graffiti management is delivering tangible results, with stronger partnerships, improved reporting systems and a renewed focus on cost recovery forming the backbone of its strategy.
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City car parks are a criminal’s smorgasbord
Chinese New Year to emblazon the city
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