‘Grubby’ Swanston St food and souvenir outlets to make way for ‘light and bright’ rail station entrance

LATE-NIGHT revellers looking for a fast-food fix before catching a train may have to walk further when grubby outlets are demolished to make way for a Metro Rail station entrance.

A “GRUBBY” CBD retail strip home to fast-food outlets will be turned into a “light and bright” public space as part of a station entrance for the $11 billion Metro Rail project.

And it has been confirmed the Elizabeth St tram line will be extended to Flinders St to create more services.

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Melburnians should start to notice big changes to Swanston St near the Flinders St intersection as preliminary work begins on the CBD South metro station.

Fast-food chains McDonald’s, Hungry Jack’s and KFC, as well as a souvenir shop and hobby shop must move out this year so demolition can proceed.

Fast food chains must move out of Swanston St so demolition can proceed. Picture: Jason Edwards

City landmark pub Young & Jackson, on a corner of Flinders St, will remain.

However, between it and the historic Nicholas building a new structure will be constructed above the planned station on Swanston St.

Melbourne Metro Rail Authority chief executive Evan Tattersall said it was a prime opportunity to revitalise a street frontage that was “grubby ... not a great area for Melbourne”.

“It will be done in a way that it’s public open space ... restaurants, entertainment areas, things that are more open and light and bright, and better quality, but it still will be an entrance to the station,” Mr Tattersall said.

The Swanston St strip next to Young and Jackson is set to be demolished.

He said the City of Melbourne had expressed interest in using the building proper, with the possibility that the council-owned City Library would be relocated there from Flinders Lane.

Businesses and building owners affected by the compulsory acquisitions are being compensated under relevant legislation, such as former City Square tenant Brunetti, which is opening a cafe in Flinders Lane.

Premises are also being acquired for the entrance of CBD North station on the corner of Swanston and La Trobe streets.

A spin-off from the 9km cross-city rail tunnel will be the ability to add tram services in certain areas given that demand for Swanston St trams will significantly drop as more people use the metro.

An artist’s impression of Swanston St near the intersection with Flinders St shows how it will look after the shops are removed.

Mr Tattersall confirmed the Elizabeth St tram line would be extended to turn left at Flinders St, which fits into a city council plan to make the Elizabeth St precinct between Flinders St and Flinders Lane pedestrian-friendly.

Also on the cards are more tram services from St Kilda Rd to William St, and a proposal to link St Kilda Rd directly with Spencer St through a new Park St and Clarendon St tramline connection.

Mr Tattersall said the Elizabeth St tram extension would be done in 2019 at the earliest depending on Public Transport Victoria’s and Yarra Trams’ plans.

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