Central Activities Areas
Central Activities Areas or CAAs are designated metropolitan and regional centres where housing and commercial development will take place, allowing Melbourne to move away from one centre (the Central Business District) to a number of centres.
CAAs will be the focus of a substantial proportion of future employment growth and public investment in Melbourne and regional centres.
On this page:
The CAAs are:
CAA Objectives
The State Government's investment in Central Activities Areas, aims to provide:
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Significant CBD-type jobs and commercial services;
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A strong and diverse retail sector;
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Specialised goods and services drawing on a large regional catchment;
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Significant opportunities for housing redevelopment in and around these centres;
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High levels of accessibility for walking, cycling, public transport or car by being located at a junction in the Principal Public
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Transport Network; and
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Vibrant centres of community activity with a range of public facilities.
CAAs are a Whole of Victorian Government priority and are being delivered in partnership with councils, private sector and the local community.
Seven Step Delivery Model
Due to the important role of the private sector and other government agencies have in successfully implementing CAAs, a seven-step delivery approach has been developed to provide a flexible and holistic approach to CAA development:
- Achieve an agreed shared vision - amongst the major stakeholders for development of the CAA.
- Provide planning clarity and certainty - for the development and investment industry, the community and whole-of-government.
- Provide necessary supportive infrastructure – coordinate delivery of roads, public transport, health, education, public spaces and social and civic infrastructure.
- Facilitate land assembly for infrastructure and catalyst development - to ensure that a supply of development sites is provided and maintained.
- Undertake seed/catalyst projects – for example, new public services and institutions, government-tenanted buildings and affordable housing.
- Undertake proactive marketing and development facilitation of private and public land – to facilitate Local Government and community support, and desired investment and development.
- Social and cultural initiatives - for example, preparation of a Community Infrastructure Plan to inform priorities for meeting the needs of the future population.
Completed projects
There have been numerous projects completed across the Central Activities Areas. Some of these projects include:
- Main Street extensions
- Streetscape and road improvements
- Construction of bridges
- Upgrades and redevelopment work to hospitals
- Improvements to train stations
Project partners
The Department of Planning and Community Development is the coordinating lead working in partnership with Activities Areas councils, the Department of Transport, other government departments and agencies and the private sector to deliver projects.
Contact us
For further information on the Central Activities Areas:
Phone: (03) 9094 8452 (9.00am - 5.00pm Monday to Friday)