Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area Development Contributions Plan and Open Space Uplift

The Framework outlined that the funding model for Fishermans Bend would consider a mix of funding sources.

Government’s strategic approach to infrastructure funding for Fishermans Bend recognises four categories of infrastructure required to support the development of the precinct.

1. ‘Catalytic infrastructure’- These are large scale infrastructure projects that are ordinarily the responsibility of the State, including public transport and state roads, schools, and health services that will have a transformational effect on the urban renewal of the area. This infrastructure will be funded and delivered by State Government, subject to strategic and budget priorities of the relevant State government departments.
2. ‘DCP and OSU funded infrastructure’– is essential infrastructure that is required to establish the future urban structure and warranting cost sharing arrangements which has been prioritised for inclusion in the DCP (or as eligible for the OSU). This includes precinct and neighbourhood open spaces, streets that make up the key movement network, select community and recreation hubs, and major drainage and flood mitigation infrastructure. This infrastructure will be largely funded by development contributions (or secured via the OSU).
3. ‘Developer works’ which are local infrastructure works normal to the development of sites, including some open spaces and the network of streets and laneways required to service development. These works are required as conditions of approvals and will be delivered by development over time. Refer to the DCP for further detail.
4. ‘Other infrastructure’ – of benefit to current and future communities, workers and visitors that is typically provided by councils. As a general principle, councils will retain responsibility for these assets. This includes upgrades and embellishment of some open spaces, maintenance and upgrades to some of the existing network of local streets and laneways, and delivery of some community facilities and services that are normally provided by local government.

The Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area Development Contributions Plan (DTP, June 2026) (DCP) is a long term plan that helps ensure the roads, parks, community facilities, public spaces, major drainage and transport connections needed for a growing Fishermans Bend are funded and delivered as the area develops.

The DCP requires development within the DCP area to contribute a fair share of the cost of specified infrastructure projects valued at $2.7 billion. Under the DCP, development contributions towards major infrastructure will be collected from all new development, through a single streamlined system managed by the State Government. This replaces the interim arrangements that have been in place since 2014.

The amendment, the DCP and OSU apply to land in the capital city zoned precincts of Lorimer, Montague, Sandridge and Wirraway and do not apply to the Fishermans Bend Employment and Innovation Area. This charge applies only to new development projects, not existing and future businesses that operate in the precinct.

Figure 1: Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area, area subject of Amendment GC224, the DCP and OSU provisions

The information below to be read in conjunction with the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area Development Contributions Plan (DTP, June 2026) (DCP) and the relevant schedule to the Development Contributions Plan Overlay and other provisions of the planning scheme.

Contribution rates are indexed annually by the collecting agency (Minister for Housing, Building and Precincts), in accordance with the methodology specified in 5.5 of the DCP.

The DCP charges a single, consolidated development infrastructure levy (DIL). No separate community infrastructure levy (CIL) will apply as community infrastructure will be funded through the DIL. Development Contribution Levies for the 2026/2027 financial year are as follows.

This table will be updated annually to reflect annual adjustment

Charges comprise:

• $27,514 per dwelling ($228 per m2 GFA) for essential infrastructur
• $7,347 per dwelling ($60 per m2 GFA) for public open space, (replacing the current 8% public open space contribution and ensuring all open space charges are directed to Fishermans Bend open space outcomes
• $3,306 per dwelling ($27 per m2 GFA) for major drainage and flood mitigation infrastructure (replacing a separate charge on development that would ordinarily be set by Melbourne Water for infrastructure).

​The impact of these charges on development has been considered in the context of other charges on development, including affordable housing, and other development costs, such as contamination remediation and utilities servicing.

Since 2014, developer contributions in Fishermans Bend have been collected through interim arrangements. The new DCP replaces those interim arrangements with a more comprehensive and transparent framework for funding and delivering infrastructure.

Projects that have already received development approval can continue under the contribution arrangements that applied when they were approved. Those projects will remain subject to separate 8% public open space contribution upon subdivision, in line with Clause 53.01 or their development approval.

A contribution is required where a development results in:

• Additional residential dwellings
• Additional non-residential floor area

The amount payable depends on the location, land use and scale of the development. Mixed-use developments may attract separate contributions for each component. Existing approvals are not necessarily exempt. A contribution may also apply when an existing permit is amended to increase the number of dwellings or amount of floor area.

The DCP and relevant DCPO schedules identify:

• Transitional arrangements for existing approvals
• Development that is exempt from a contribution
• Circumstances in which an existing-use or previous-payment credit may apply
• How contributions apply to permit amendments and staged development

Refer to the map in the factsheet under “Where does Amendment GC224 apply?” to see the area covered by the DCP. Additionally, you can check your property in VicPlan or the Melbourne or Port Phillip Planning Schemes to see whether it is covered by the Development Contributions Plan Overlay. The relevant overlay schedule and incorporated FBURA DCP set out where the DCP applies and any exemptions.

The DCP includes maps and tables identifying DCP-funded projects. Candidate OSU sites are separately identified in the capital city zone schedules in the planning scheme.

The contributions liability for each site will be subject to an assessment of the development’s charges liability and any applicable and agreed credits for eligible projects or exemptions.

For an assessment of the liability for your development, or to discuss the open space uplift, please contact fishermansbend@transport.vic.gov.au.

Public open space in Fishermans Bend will be delivered through a combination of the Development Contributions Plan (DCP) and the complementary Open Space Uplift (OSU) mechanism which applies to select eligible sites. Projects identified as OSU eligible are not included in the DCP and not eligible for DCP credit.

The DCP includes funding for selected open space projects. For development subject to these DCP rates under Amendment GC224, the consolidated development infrastructure levy charge includes an open space component, replacing the separate 8% public open space contribution.

The OSU applies to eligible sites. It allows landowners to develop additional dwellings above the otherwise applicable dwelling density limits in exchange for providing and gifting public open space. The land must be remediated, landscaped and transferred to the relevant council in accordance with the planning scheme requirements.

• FBURA DCP
• Open Space Uplift