The port will lease
approximately 290,000 sq m of the former Melbourne Markets site until 2066 in
line with its existing 50-year port privatisation lease. This is the port’s
largest-ever expansion since the long-term lease was granted in 2016.
Based on current planning, the Port of Melbourne
expects to invest more than AUD 200m ($136.2m) into the development of the
site. The integration of the site into the port will support a freight sector
that employs 260,000 people.
This expansion should,
according to the port, reduce congestion and minimise impact on surrounding
communities. Consistent with the Victorian Government’s 2018 Victorian Freight
Plan, the Port of Melbourne will invest in developing the site for a range of
uses, including truck parking facilities and container storage. “With container volumes at Port of
Melbourne expected to double by 2050, access to additional land at the former
Melbourne Markets site unlocks opportunities that are critical to the future
needs of Victoria,” said Saul Cannon, Port of Melbourne CEO.