Council will be asked to consider the revised draft Masterplan at it's meeting on Monday 1 December 2025. To view the meeting agenda and papers and to request to speak, go to Council's website.
Based on your feedback, we’ve updated the Masterplan to focus on:
Stage 2 took place from 6 August to 3 September 2025 and gathered community and stakeholder feedback on the first draft Masterplan.
During this period we received close to 100 contributions through an online survey and various engagement activities.
Take a look at a summary of what we heard, or do a deeper dive by reading the Stage 2 Feedback Summary Report.
57% of people support changes to land use, like better buildings, housing, and improved community services. Top priorities are cafés, family-friendly events, public art, open spaces, and helping local businesses. Main worries are gentrification and retail affordability.
60% of people want better walking, cycling, and parking access. Top priorities are lighting, safety, traffic control, and better links for walkers and cyclists. Main concerns are traffic congestion and wayfinding signage.
51% of people think new public spaces will feel safe and welcoming. The community values green spaces, easy-to-use facilities, and designs that include everyone. Main concerns are overshadowing, car park safety, and making sure spaces reflect different cultures.
67% support more housing, better buildings, and community services. Top priorities are sustainable design, affordable homes, and keeping the local character. Concerns are building heights, traffic, and how different the uses will fit together.
Stage 1 took place from March to April 2025 and gathered community and stakeholder views on three possible outcomes for Bell Street Mall, each featuring green space, housing, retail, parking, and a new community hub.
During this period we received over 300 contributions through an online survey and various engagement activities.
The community liked the larger, centralised park, pedestrian experience, and community hub integration.
People strongly prefer a larger, central park over small pocket parks, and want more trees, shade, and nature-inspired design.
There was support for mixed-use and diverse housing, including affordable options, with concerns about high density and overshadowing.
There were concerns about safety and lighting after hours, especially in distant carparks. There is a preference for short-term, accessible, and multi-level or underground parking.
There was strong support for multicultural and independent businesses, preserving iconic features like the Bell Street Mall sign, and adding more everyday retail such as grocers and bakeries.
There was strong support for an inclusive, flexible community hub near the central park, with integrated services like a library, childcare, health care, and cultural programs.
There were concerns about poor lighting, loitering, and blind spots, with suggestions for better lighting, active frontages, CCTV, and safer pedestrian access.
There were requests for public art, cultural events, food stalls, and multi-faith prayer rooms, with a focus on celebrating the Mall’s multicultural identity.
Through the school art activity, children imagined the Mall as fun, green, and family-friendly, with ideas like toy shops, libraries, playgrounds, shaded seating, and water fountains.
The Bell Street Mall was the first 'modern' drive-in shopping centre in Victoria. It was built in 1956 and is located next to Melbourne's 1956 Olympic Village, which housed athletes from all over the world.
The Mall retains much of its 1950s character, and is a central place for the local community to shop, gather and socialise. It's also a significant hub for people from many diverse backgrounds who have settled in Heidelberg West over the decades. This is reflected in the rich multicultural dining, retail offerings and events. While appreciating the Mall’s history and character, there are also opportunities to renew the centre so it can better meet the needs of the community now and into the future.
To unlock the potential of the Bell Street Mall and surrounding areas, a coordinated and integrated approach is needed.
We are developing a Bell Street Mall Neighbourhood Activity Centre (NAC) Masterplan and Design Guide that will enhance the Bell Street Mall by including well-designed high density housing and open community spaces that meet the needs of the local community. This will explore opportunities for both the Bell Street Mall and the surrounding area. It will also set a strategic vision, key directions and a staged funding approach to achieve the best outcomes related to land use, urban design, public realm, pedestrian and public transport connections and community infrastructure.
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Over the years, the Bell Street Mall has been the focus of various studies and proposals, highlighting its importance in Heidelberg West. The work has addressed specific needs and priorities and is helping to lay the groundwork for the current Bell Street Mall Neighbourhood Activity Centre Masterplan and Design Guide.
Earlier plans aimed to improve public spaces, making them more inclusive, safe and comfortable. They focused on creating an environment that was pleasant all year-round and fostering community connection. Recent efforts have built on this by addressing the area’s growing population and changing needs. Focus has been on integrating the Mall’s redevelopment with broader urban renewal initiatives, balancing higher-density housing, preserving the Mall’s historic character and promoting economic growth.
Urban design frameworks are providing guidance on building heights, setbacks and landscaping to maintain the tree canopy. They have also outlined principles for creating high-quality public spaces and strengthening community connection.
The project will also build on feedback Council has received about the Bell St Mall through:
Our community is made up of diverse cultures, beliefs, abilities, bodies, sexualities, ages and genders. We are committed to access, equity, participation and rights for everyone: principles which empower, foster harmony and increase the wellbeing of an inclusive community.
Banyule City Council is proud to acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people as traditional custodians of the land and we pay respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past, present and emerging, who have resided in the area and have been an integral part of the region’s history.
