ApartmentsClare BurnettMon 08 Jun 26
Work Begins on 1400-Home Fitzroy Gasworks Precinct
Work has begun on the first phase of the major 1400-home Fitzroy Gasworks project in Melbourne’s inner north.
The Inner North Collective Joint Venture consortium of Assemble, Milieu and Hickory, alongside capital partners AustralianSuper and HESTA, have broken ground on site afer a five-year planning process.
The consortium will deliver 70 per cent of the homes in the four-phase precinct across parcels B and C, the first of which—parcel B—has now begun.
This phase of the project, on the corner of Alexandra Parade and Smith Street, will deliver 513 build-to-rent apartments, including 121 social homes and 43 affordable homes, in partnership with Housing Choices Australia.
It will have open spaces, a rooftop garden, co-working and event spaces, cafes, and a gym.
A vertical multi-use sports centre tipped as “Australia’s first,” which has four courts for basketball, netball and volleyball, a futsal pitch and a gym and lounge area, is already on the parcel of land at Fitzroy.
The precinct will have 1000 bicycle spaces, 150 public car parking bays and 175 additional resident basement parking.
Approved earlier this year, parcels B and C together will consist of 1052 mixed-tenure homes on the landmark site.
Parcel C, which will be delivered by Milieu, is expected to begin in mid 2027, offering 539 build-to-sell homes.
Following a competitive tender process in 2024, the consortium was awarded the project by Development Victoria.
While parcels B and C were allocated to the consortium, an expression of interest was opened for developers for parcel A last year, which will include 360 homes.
Local: Residential was subsequently appointed as development partner of parcel A, which accounts for 30 per cent of the total precinct homes, 33 per cent (100 homes) of which will be affordable housing.
History of Fitzroy Gasworks site
The 3.9ha site at 433 Smith Street on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung country 3.5km north of the CBD had been an integral part of Melbourne’s gas infrastructure since the 1860s.
Gas production ceased in 1927, but the site remained operational and was used for gas storage and workshops until the 1970s.
It was reconfigured in the early 1980s and most of the structures on site, except the Valve House and Porter Prefabricated Iron Store—considered of historical significance—were demolished.
EPA Victoria issued a clean-up notice for the site in 2014 to remediate the site, which was still being used for light industrial units.
Development Victoria launched its vision for the site in 2021, and early site remediation works were undertaken in 2022, followed by construction of the Wurun Senior Campus and Bundha Sports Centre.
Fitzroy Gasworks isn’t Assemble’s first major project to start this year. The developer has already broken ground on 435 new homes at Samma Property Group’s Ivanhoe project in February 2026.
