High-rises are coming to the inner west, but locals warn this eyesore needs to be fixed first

The only way to cross the railway tracks at Tottenham, and for several kilometres nearby, is through a dark underpass on Ashley Street, where trucks zoom past on a narrow two-lane road.

The underpass, which floods in heavy rain, is also the entrance to Tottenham station, one of 50 areas across Melbourne the Victorian government has earmarked for building more apartments, up to 12 storeys high, thanks to its transport links.

But John Symons, president of cycling advocacy group BikeWest, says Tottenham is different to other activity centres – new housing development zones near tram and train hubs – planned for Melbourne’s affluent east.

More investment is needed here, he believes, if the neighbourhood is to truly become as well-serviced as the government says.

“Thinking you can plonk an extra few thousand homes near a train line, and everyone will be able to get around OK is just bizarre,” Symons says.

“The railway line is a massive barrier for movement north-south in that corridor. Without a shadow of doubt, the Ashley Street tunnel needs to be upgraded before major housing growth.”

Earlier this month, The Age canvassed dozens of inner-west residents about plans for three activity centres in the area – Middle Footscray, West Footscray and Tottenham. Many were more supportive of greater housing density than some residents of Brighton, where the community has protested against high-rise plans.

But many inner-west residents remain sceptical of the government’s proposals, pointing to a local history of flawed redevelopment, such as the Joseph Road precinct on the edge of the Maribyrnong River.

The Joseph Road precinct, pictured here in September 2024, needed significant infrastructure upgrades after residents moved in.Credit: Joe Armao

Inadequate infrastructure at that site was back in the spotlight last week when a coroner demanded road safety upgrades after a 22-year-old student was killed crossing Hopkins Street in 2023.

The Allan government pins the blame for that urban renewal project on the last Coalition government that had announced it.

Booming population

The need for more housing in the inner west is clear. The population of the City of Maribyrnong is expected to increase by 57 per cent to 155,000 by 2051.

At an activity centre consultation in West Footscray last week, attendees could view the government’s vision for the inner west with a virtual-reality headset. However, some were not swayed.

West Footscray resident Ming Kang Chen, 33, said more needed to be done to turn parts of the once-industrial west into a better residential area.

He also worried about 12-storey apartments blocking sunlight on Barkly Street. He questioned whether the government’s plans would excessively benefit developers, whom he blames for allegedly land banking several derelict sites across Footscray.

David Hedger, Elizabeth Hedger and Steve Khoury (seated), as well as Ming Kang Chen and Craig Smith (standing), are concerned about the activity centres planned for Melbourne’s inner west.Credit: Chris Hopkins

And although he is open to more mid-rises, Chen is particularly critical of the government for not mentioning public housing in their activity centre plans, instead relying on the market for high-rise homes.

“They’re not liveable for the long term. And they’re only being built for investors,” Chen said, referencing Docklands as an example.

“I’ve got a lot of friends my age who are looking to buy their first place, but they don’t want to buy these shithouse apartments.”

Sotheary Kong, 44, also from West Footscray, was more supportive of the development plans.

“The cost of living in Australia is very expensive … and we are short of houses,” said Kong, who emigrated from Cambodia two years ago.

The Age is strengthening its focus on Melbourne’s booming west with a special series examining the region’s positives and challenges. Later this week, our reporters will moderate a West of Melbourne Economic Development Alliance’s (WoMEDA) summit to discuss a vision for the western suburbs’ success. The alliance of university, industry, community and local government experts works to unlock the west’s economic potential.

WoMEDA chair Peter Dawkins said the state government’s inner-west activity centre plans would encourage local employment and could work if housing was accompanied by public amenity and active transport upgrades.

“But I do think there’s a general question around how much emphasis has been given to employment-in-precinct policy,” he said.

A government spokeswoman said Middle Footscray, West Footscray and Tottenham activity centres would differ from earlier, flawed projects, such as the Joseph Road precinct.

“Labor introduced apartment design standards, and we’ve invested billions in the inner west, including the Metro Tunnel, West Gate Tunnel, Footscray Hospital, schools and social housing,” she said.

“We’re building more homes near these train stations so more Victorians benefit from the Metro Tunnel – the biggest public transport upgrade since the City Loop.”

Jobs investment

WoMEDA has long identified Footscray as one of the west’s priority precincts and is calling for greater investment in jobs.

The group’s report on economic growth in the west, to be released at the West of Melbourne Summit on Wednesday, says the new $1.5 billion Footscray Hospital and existing Victoria University campus would boost education and health jobs. Dawkins said they would also enhance research and development opportunities.

He said growing creative industry employment should be the next aim, and WoMEDA’s report notes plans to build a large performing arts venue would help achieve this.

“As, too, would establishing a landmark gallery and cultural hub of international standing,” the report says. “Low-hanging fruit is for greater activation around the Whitten Oval.”

The report notes the Western Bulldogs’ plans to continue building the oval into an activity hub featuring community sports, education, the arts, hospitality, health and supporting business start-ups.

The West Footscray activity centre core includes the Western Bulldogs’ home, but Maribyrnong Council will not formally respond to the government’s housing plans for this area until it votes on a submission on Tuesday night.

When the drafts were released last month, Deputy Mayor Bernadette Thomas singled out the Central West activity centre – near Tottenham station – as an area that could accommodate more people.

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“However, council strongly advocates for the upgrade of the Tottenham station and Ashley Street underpass, which is a major constraint for access to the centre and its catchment,” Thomas said.

The Tottenham activity centre’s layout is unique thanks to a large industrial precinct and a single high-rise zone over the Central West shopping centre. Both are owned by ISPT – a giant property fund for industry super.

The catchments for mid-rise development also only sprawl north towards Braybrook, not south of the wide Tottenham railway yard which severs West Footscray in two.

Better neighbourhoods

Closer to the city, however, the Middle Footscray activity centre crosses the Sunbury line, so it is centred on Seddon’s main street instead.

This side of the tracks is different: Nothing exceeds three storeys, trees are more prevalent, and the blocks are smaller.

Chris Gooden, president of the Seddon Village Traders Association.Credit: Jason South

Chris Gooden, president of the Seddon Village Traders Association, believes these narrow land parcels – often with tightly packed workers’ cottages built on them – will limit development.

However, the government’s draft activity centre map proposes buildings up to six storeys tall on Victoria Street, home to trendy cafes and a Macedonian church.

Meanwhile, heritage overlays in the southern outer catchment of the Middle Footscray activity centre will likely limit the proposed three-to-four storey developments.

Gooden has concerns about the size of apartment developments closer to Footscray station, and worries about those spreading to Seddon.

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“We need to create neighbourhoods, not ghettos with too much wind and darkness,” he said. “As a trader, yeah, we want more people to walk our high street. And density is good for that. But we need fit-for-purpose accommodation.”

The West of Melbourne Summit, presented by WoMEDA with The Age, will be held on October 22-23. For details go to womeda.com.au

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