What is the vision for the site?
The approved Moonee Valley Racecourse (Master Plan) supports the transformation of the racecourse into ‘The Valley of Tomorrow’, a world-class sports, entertainment and community precinct.
In conjunction with the planning controls, the Master Plan guides and informs the redevelopment of
the racing precinct and critical racing and event activities for the benefit of the Moonee Valley Racing
Club (MVRC), the greater community, stakeholders, and customers into the future.
What is this planning permit application for?
An application for the Grandstand Precinct is currently being assessed by Moonee Valley City Council.
It follows recent planning permit approvals for the realignment of the racetrack, construction of new racing infrastructure, infield car parking and a ride share super stop, lighting, and a maintenance facility for the racecourse.
The Grandstand is to be sited along Wilson Street in accordance with the approved Master Plan and planning controls. The Clubhouse is to be sited along Thomas Street and will include a boutique residential hotel and health and wellness centre (to be owned and operated by the MVRC in connection with the racecourse), office for MVRC administration, and a new Legends restaurant representing an evolution of the existing venue onsite.
The Grandstand Precinct application has been designed in accordance with the approved Master Plan and the zoning controls, to ensure it meets the expectations and requirements set out in the Moonee Valley Planning Scheme.
How does the application process work?
The planning permit application for the Grandstand Precinct is exempt from public notice and review requirements as it is consistent with the approved Master Plan. Following this information session Council officers must prepare a planning report with recommendation for Council to make a decision.
The MVRC understands the delivery of the new Grandstand Precinct is important to the community, so we are keen to offer an opportunity to share an update on how this exciting new precinct will come to life.
How tall are the proposed buildings and how close to the street are they?
The buildings have been designed to align with the requirements of the approved Master Plan and the planning controls.
The Grandstand has an overall maximum building height of 25.95 metres, compliant with the preferred building height requirement set out in the planning controls and Master Plan.
The Clubhouse has an overall maximum building height of 25.2 metres, compliant with the preferred building height requirement set out in the planning controls and Master Plan.
Both buildings are set back 6 metres from Wilson Street and Thomas Street, compliant with the preferred building setbacks set out in the planning controls and Master Plan.
How will people access the site?
The Master Plan sets out clear requirements for pedestrian, cyclist, vehicle, and loading access to the racing precinct, and broader racing area, for a range of different non-racing and racing events.
The Master Plan requires primary pedestrian access to the Grandstand Precinct through the infield via an underpass from Cox Place in Moonee Valley Park. This connection provides a direct pedestrian connection to and from Moonee Ponds Junction and beyond in-line with the Master Plan and planning controls both applying to the racing area and Moonee Valley Park.
Pedestrian access to the Grandstand building from Wilson Street will only be made available to people with mobility impairments and VIP guests. This will be managed through the event management plans.
Pedestrian access to the Clubhouse building from Thomas Street will vary according to whether the racing area is in non-racing or racing mode. In non-racing mode, pedestrian access will be made available for MVRC customer service, restaurant patrons, and hotel and health and well being guests.
In racing mode, pedestrian access to the Clubhouse will be made available to restaurant patrons, as well as members for secondary access purposes only. For Cox Plate, pedestrian access will be limited to members only for secondary access purposes only.
How many car parking spaces will be provided?
The planning permit application for the Grandstand Precinct will includes 110 car spaces underneath the Clubhouse building, as well as 56 car spaces immediate east of the Grandstand.
Access to and use of these car spaces will vary according to whether the racing area is in non-racing or racing mode.
In non-racing mode, the car spaces underneath the Clubhouse building will be made available to restaurant patrons, hotel and health and wellbeing guests, and limited MVRC staff. For the car spaces immediately east of the Grandstand, these will be made available for MVRC staff. For larger non-racing events, MVRC staff and event guests will be required to park within the infield.
In racing mode, the car spaces underneath the Clubhouse building will be made available to restaurant patrons and MVRC committee members. For the Cox Plate, these spaces will be made available to MRVC committee members only. For the car spaces immediately east of the Grandstand, these will not be made available to any user.
Car parking within the infield will be made available in both non-racing and racing modes. This car park is accessed via Dean Street only and it has been approved under Planning Permit 394/2022. This car park has a total capacity of approximately 2,300 car spaces.
Access to and use of car spaces across the racing area will be managed through the event management plans.
How will traffic, car parking and pedestrians be managed?
An Event Management Plan has been prepared to manage traffic, car parking, and pedestrian management procedures for non-racing events that attract more than 400 people, race events that attract more than 5,000 people and the W.S Cox Plate event.
The Event Management Plans have been prepared to comply with the requirements of the Master Plan with respect to access and broader racing matters.
How will overlooking from viewing areas on terraces be managed?
The Grandstand Precinct is separated from residential properties by Wilson Street and Thomas Street, as well as internal setbacks to both of these streets. This ensures there will be no potential for overlooking to occur when considering the ordinary overlooking tests contained within the Moonee Valley Planning Scheme.
This being said, the MVRC is committed to reducing the potential for patrons to directly view into private open space areas of nearby properties and the Moonee Ponds Primary School from viewing areas on terraces.
The proposal incorporates various screening elements and design principles to effectively limit the potential for overlooking to occur from these areas. More particularly, the proposal includes:
- Overlooking screens along edges of terraces which have a direct interface with both Wilson Street and Thomas Street.
- Landscaping treatments to further screen and filter views from the Grandstand Precinct.
How will potential noise impacts be managed?
The proposal has been designed to comply with applicable EPA regulations with respect to noise.
Measures to mitigate noise and ensure compliance with applicable EPA regulations include:
- Installation of acoustic attenuation screens along terraces.
- Management measures to control noise emissions from the public address system.
- Management measures to control access to terrace areas.
- Management measures to control noise from loading dock.
How will potential light spill be managed?
Lighting for the racecourse has been approved under Planning Permit 394/2022.
The application for the Grandstand Precinct provides further detail for this specific portion of the racing area. It supplements the lighting approved to date for the balance of the racing area. The lighting for the Grandstand Precinct, like the balance of the racing area and neighbourhood beyond, has been designed to mitigate light spill beyond the property boundary.
The lighting system directs light inwards towards the racetrack and has been designed to comply with the standard for obtrusive light compliance (AS/NZS 4282 :2019 – Control of the obtrusive effects of outdoor lighting).
If approved, when will the community know about the works going ahead?
If approved, MVRC will keep the local community informed about the project and will ensure construction updates are provided in a timely manner.
Construction for the overall racing area is expected to commence in 2025.
How will liquor licencing be managed?
Managing the sale and consumption of liquor within the racing area is important, not just for the safety and enjoyment of patrons and staff but equally for the amenity of the surrounding area.
The planning application for the Grandstand Precinct does not seek consent to sell and consume liquor within the racing precinct.
A separate planning permit application will be made with Moonee Valley City Council to sell and consume liquor once a planning permit for the buildings within the Grandstand Precinct has been obtained.
How will advertising signs be managed?
Given the nature of the existing land use, there will be a continued need for business identification, wayfinding and advertising signs.
The MVRC is aware of the residential and education sensitivities that exist around the edges of the Grandstand Precinct, and beyond, and what these mean for the siting and extent of business identification, wayfinding and advertising signs.
A separate planning permit application will be made with Moonee Valley City Council for advertising signs once a planning permit for the buildings within the Grandstand Precinct has been obtained.
How will loading be managed?
In terms of loading associated with the Grandstand Precinct, this has been designed to allow forward-in and forward-out movements from the site through a signal-controlled intersection at Juliet Street and Wilson Street. This provides a safe and segregated (pedestrian and vehicle) access environment that will benefit the road safety of the area.
The number of vehicles accessing this area would be expected to be low, with a majority of vehicles typically expected to be vans and single unit trucks. Most of these will be smaller trucks of 6.4m to 10.0m long, with some access required for a 12.5m single unit trucks (the maximum allowable).
A loading dock management plan will be prepared and submitted under condition of a planning permit, should one be issued, to ensure truck access is open to planned deliveries only and loading arrivals are scheduled and controlled to reduce off-site amenity impact and conflict with school pick-up and drop-off and broader needs.
When will the intersection of Capulet Street, Thomas Street and Wilson Street be upgraded?
The signalisation of this intersection will be facilitated through the redevelopment of Moonee Valley Park, in accordance with both the Moonee Valley Park Integrated Transport Plan (ITP) and Moonee Valley Park Traffic Assessment and Management Plan (TAMP) that have been approved by Council.
The application for the Grandstand Precinct has been directly informed by the ITP and TAMP and no way prejudices the delivery of the intersection.