Train line tower plan slammed as ‘ghettos in the sky’

A $25bn proposal to build a wall of towers from the CBD to South Yarra has been slammed as “unaffordable and family-unfriendly”.

A ditigal image of the planned wall of towers.

A plan to build a wall of towers from the CBD to South Yarra has been described as “crap” and creating “ghettos in the sky”.

A former premier, top architect, urban planner and a residents’ group have slammed the $25bn “nation building” proposal by Connex Capital for up to 24 buildings and 9000 apartments.

The towers would stretch from Federation Square to South Yarra station above rail lines, and include a TAFE, vertical school and green space.

TV and football personality Eddie McGuire has backed the project, while Lord Mayor Sally Capp said such proposals were welcome and showed confidence in the city.

But architect and former Liberal premier Ted Baillieu said he had seen similar ideas in recent decades, and nothing had changed.

“This would be unaffordable, family-unfriendly crap that would divide the city,” he said.

Fellow architect and host of TV show Grand Designs, Peter Maddison, said there was a case for higher density development in Melbourne.

“But I’m not sure building disconnected people so far up, and having something so out of scale with everything else around is a good thing,” he said.

“Maybe what we are developing is ghettos in the sky, which is not good.”

There are fears the project could “divide the city” if it goes ahead.

The plan includes towers stretching from Federation Square to South Yarra.

RMIT emeritus professor in planning Michael Buxton said the Connex development would create another Southbank, and ruin views of the city from the southeast.

“Southbank has been a disaster for Melbourne, the scale and incredible impact of the towers would really be detrimental for Melbourne,” he said.

Greg Bisinella, from residents’ lobby the East Melbourne Group, said that given planning rules the development would struggle to get approved unless there was state government intervention.

“All I can see is a line of very tall buildings that are likely to overshadow parks and also residential areas,” he said.

Ms Capp said that while the state government would decide on the project, the City of Melbourne was committed to making this “a city of possibility”.

“We are always interested to see what ideas our private sector has for the future – and welcome proposals that create local jobs and allow more people to call Melbourne home,” she said.

Connex spokesman Sam Almaliki said the project would be privately funded, and would include redeveloping Richmond station.

“The project stacks up … and there are many other economic and social benefits that come with this project,” he said.

A government statement it was currently not being assessed under its market-led proposals guideline, and did “not align with government policy objectives or demonstrate unique characteristics which would result in outcomes that could not be obtained using standard competitive processes”.