12 April 2021
Bentleigh Library and Youth Hub

Bentleigh Library will be transformed into a new community centre that integrates Council’s Youth Services.
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Published on 09 September 2021
The Elsternwick Structure Plan creates a strategic vision to establish a new Cultural Precinct, centred around Selwyn Street.
Status: Community Engagement
Timeline: Community engagement will close on 12 June 2022. Construction will commence when the other planned redevelopments in the street have been completed. This is expected to be in the next couple of years.
In 2016, the Elsternwick Structure Plan was developed in consultation with the community and was endorsed by Council in 2018. The Plan included a vision to establish a ‘new Cultural Precinct, centred around Selwyn Street’.
This presented Council with a unique opportunity to create a cultural precinct that celebrates Jewish life in Melbourne, as Selwyn Street already has leading Jewish cultural institutions to build on, which formed the framework and foundation for the further development of the precinct.
In November 2018, Council formally endorsed the Elsternwick Cultural Precinct Plan and the Elsternwick Cultural Precinct Advisory Committee (ECPAC) was formed to partner with Council, inform and oversee the design and plans to create a vision for the Precinct. The ECPAC is comprised of representatives from:
The vision for the Elsternwick Cultural Precinct was to create a vibrant and welcoming pedestrian focussed public space that foregrounds the important Jewish cultural institutions in Selwyn Street. It will be flexible and open enough to function for day to day use as well as provide opportunities for seasonal events, performances, markets and other happenings. The key design strategies include:
The result is a new sequence of spaces with different qualities that respond to the adjacent context and uses including:
The final functional layout and design of the precinct is the culmination of years of consultation, stakeholder engagement and design development. This was presented as a final vision of the Elsternwick Cultural Precinct and was endorsed by the Council in April 2021.
In 2019, Woolworths lodged a planning application for a supermarket and two apartment towers. Woolworth’s plan conflicted with Council’s vision and design for the street.
Council refused the planning application, and Woolworths appealed this decision to VCAT. VCAT supported Council’s decision to refuse the permit application.
Woolworths lodged a new application with Council in February 2021. This application sought to respond to the issues raised by VCAT in the previous application. Council refused this application and this decision has been appealed to VCAT.
Through the VCAT process, the applicant further amended the proposal to address Council's concerns. Council now supports the amended application, however, VCAT will still be responsible for deciding the application. The appeal is listed for a VCAT hearing starting Monday 23 May 2022.
To help inform the detailed design, Council would like to consult more broadly with the community.
The purpose of the engagement is to update the community on the progress of the cultural precinct, seek input on how they would like to use the space and what the look and feel of the space should be, and to communicate how public input has influenced the plan so far.
Community consultation is now open and will close on 12 June 2022. To find out more and to participate, visit our Have your Say page
After community consultation closes, the feedback will be presented to Council and incorporated into the design, where possible. Council will go out to tender for a civil contractor for the construction of the Precinct, which is due to commence in July 2023.
In 2016, the Elsternwick Structure Plan was developed in consultation with the community and was endorsed by Council in 2018. The Plan included a vision to establish a ‘new Cultural Precinct, centred around Selwyn Street’.
This presented the community with a unique opportunity to create a cultural precinct that celebrates Jewish life in Melbourne, as Selwyn Street already has leading Jewish cultural institutions to build on. This formed the framework and foundation for the further development of the precinct.
The vision for the Elsternwick Cultural Precinct was to create a vibrant and welcoming pedestrian focussed public space that foregrounds the important Jewish cultural institutions in Selwyn Street. It will be flexible and open enough to function for day to day use as well as provide opportunities for seasonal events, performances, markets and other happenings. The key design strategies include:
The result is a new sequence of spaces with different qualities that respond to the adjacent context and uses including:
The final functional layout and design of the precinct is the culmination of years of consultation, stakeholder engagement and design development. This was presented as a final vision of the Elsternwick Cultural Precinct and was endorsed by the Council in April 2021.
Council worked closely with stakeholders to determine a shared vision as:
‘The Elsternwick Cultural Precinct is an active and thriving meeting place known here and abroad for its diverse mix of cultural experiences and as a wonderful and welcoming local place for everyday life.’
The precinct will add value to the community in a variety of forms including:
Council appointed Rush Wright after an extensive tender process for the design phase of the precinct.
How will the design incorporate Jewish culture?
Elsternwick Cultural Precinct Advisory Committee (ECPAC) was established at the start of the project, which includes key stakeholders in the Jewish community such as the Jewish Arts Quarter and Jewish Holocaust Centre. Council officers have worked closely with the Advisory Committee to ensure features of Jewish arts and culture were incorporated in the design and layout. This involved consulting, taking on feedback and making changes to the design and the layout throughout this phase of the project. Council officers also commissioned a local Jewish artist, Kathy Temin, to work on public art for the Precinct. The layout and design include features such as:
The functional layout for the Precinct includes:
Visitors who are driving are more than welcome to utilise the offsite parking that is available within the community, including the carparks located on Horne Street and Stanley Street (East).
Visitors are also encouraged to use public transportation and can access the site via:
Construction will commence when the other planned redevelopments in the street have completed. This is expected to be in the next couple of years.
In 2019, Woolworths lodged a planning application for a supermarket and two apartment towers. Woolworth’s plan conflicted with Council’s vision and design for the street.
Council refused the planning application, and Woolworths appealed this decision to VCAT. VCAT supported Council’s decision to refuse the permit application.
Woolworths lodged a new application with Council in February 2021. This application sought to respond to the issues raised by VCAT in the previous application. Council refused this application and this decision has been appealed to VCAT.
Through the VCAT process, the applicant further amended the proposal to address Council's concerns. Council now supports the amended application, however, VCAT will still be responsible for deciding the application. The appeal is listed for a VCAT hearing starting Monday 23 May 2022.
Council appointed One Mile Grid to review and assess the traffic implications of the proposed cultural precinct streetscape works along Selwyn Street in Elsternwick. To understand the conditions of the surrounding intersections in the future, One Mile Grid used a traffic modelling software package, SIDRA Intersection, to input the redistributed traffic which model the performance of the intersections under the changed conditions.
To ensure the most accurate data was produced, One Mile Grid also applied growth rates of around 1% per year (compound) to the redistributed traffic volumes over a 10-year period, equivalent to a 10% increase in traffic volumes.
From Glen Huntly Road, vehicles will be permitted to make left and right turns onto Selwyn Street. Selwyn Street from the Jewish Arts Quarter will be a one-way slow speed environment. Vehicles exiting onto Sinclair Street will only be permitted to make left turns; right turns will not be permitted. From Sinclair Street, vehicles will not be able to enter Selwyn Street. Selwyn Street is only accessible by vehicles from Glenhuntley Road. A new signalised intersection will be in place at Glen Huntley Road/ Selwyn Street.
Drop off car spaces on Selwyn Street are included in the layout of the Precinct. Off-street parking is available in Elsternwick at Staniland Grove, Horne Street, Orrong Road and Stanley Street.
The 2021-2025 Elsternwick Structural Plan also looks at strategies for transport and parking, including looking at opportunities to increase parking.
A new slow speed limit will be incorporated in the shared zone where pedestrians and cyclists are prioritised.
The Elsternwick Cultural Precinct is a project outlined in the Elsternwick Structural Plan.
The final functional layout and design of the precinct is the culmination of years of consultation, stakeholder engagement and design development. This was presented as a final vision of the Elsternwick Cultural Precinct and was endorsed by the Council in April 2021.
Elsternwick Cultural Precinct — Advisory Group Presentation: Schematic Design (PDF 22Mb)
12 April 2021
Bentleigh Library will be transformed into a new community centre that integrates Council’s Youth Services.
03 May 2021
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