We’re working to make the Breese Street precinct an easier to navigate and more enjoyable to use area for its many newer and more established residents, as well as all the people who travel along it to get where they need to go.
How we are planning to improve the area
We’re developing a plan for how we will make improvements to support all the ways people use Breese Street and surrounds, and create nicer and greener streetscapes.
The plan will allow us to make changes to the street to meet the needs of its residents and users, which have shifted with the area's developments over the past 10 years.
Project goals
Types of changes proposed
To meet these objectives Council will be considering infrastructure items such as:
- changes to the street type
- additional tree plantng
- improved pedestrian infrastructure.
Due to the road width and conditions separated bicycle lanes are not being considered.
We are in the very early stages of planning for this project, and are looking forward to hearing what our community would like to see in our plan for improving Breese Street.
About the project area
Though Breese Street is central to the project, we’re also planning to improve surrounding streets to create a safer and more liveable Breese Street precinct.
Breese Street is located in Brunswick, between the Upfield Rail Corridor and Sydney Road. The Breese Street Precinct includes Hope Street between the Upfield Rail Corridor and Sydney Road as well as West Street, Florence Street, Duckett Street and William Street.
We will be engaging with the community again for improvements to Hope Street West in early 2025.
It is a high-density residential area that has experienced a significant increase in residential development and investment over the last 10 years.
There is a commercial presence within the area, though many of these blocks have planning permits for further residential development.
Breese Street is located very close to Antsey Railway Station on the Upfield Line, and 2 level crossings at Hope Street and Albion Street.
The State Government announced in September of 2024 that they will be removing all the level crossings in Brunswick from Park Street to Albion Street, including those at Hope Street and Albion Street, as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP).
The State Government further indicated that the project will include construction of two new railway stations, including one north of Hope Street, and the closure of Anstey Railway Station.
No further details on the LXRP plans for this area are currently available.
These decisions will be taken into consideration when developing our plans for the Breese Street improvements, and future improvements to Hope Street. A Council endorsed masterplan for this area will assist in our negotiations with the State Government during this construction of the Level Crossing Removal Project.
To learn more about the Brunswick Level Crossing Removal visit the project's Conversations Merri-bek page.
University of Melbourne Research Project
Researchers from the University of Melbourne are using Breese Street as a case study in a new project, ‘Re-imagining streets with green infrastructure’. The project will explore ways to make streets more climate resilient, safer, and liveable, by retrofitting trees and other green infrastructure.
As part of this work, they are hosting co-design workshops, working with local residents and stakeholders to develop a shared vision of what a greener Breese Street could look like.
This is a project led by the University of Melbourne, and their report will be presented to Council as part of the design process for this area. However it is a separate project to our engagement with the community, and the outcomes of the research project are not necessarily aligned with Council's design process.
If you live or work in the Breese Street area, you can express your interest in participating in the workshops, or learn more about the project, visit the University of Melbourne's Re-imagining Streets.
Workshops will be held in February and March 2025.
The research project is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia.
What happens next
Your feedback will help us develop draft concepts plans for our Breese Street streetscape improvements.
These draft concept plans will then be presented back to you for further feedback.
To be notified when the concept plans are available, click 'Follow' at the top of this page.
Due to proposed Level Crossing Works and ongoing construction in the area, staging of construction delivery is to be determined.
