Mentone

What we understand about the place and how we’ve addressed it

Mentone is known for its heritage buildings, including the historic railway station and gardens precinct, the Kilbreda Tower (former Coffee Palace) and adjoining piazza where residents and visitors enjoy the activity on offer with friends and family.

Areas along Mentone Parade, Florence Street, Davies Street and Brindisi Street with existing canopy trees have landscape setbacks applied to ensure future development retains existing trees.

The Community Reference Group noted how important the heritage buildings, walkable streets and green spaces are to Mentone’s village character.

As part of our work, we have:

• retained heritage overlays and applied typologies that respond to main street features
• applied the Heritage Main Street Core typology along Como Parade West and Mentone Parade to protects and enhances the heritage character in the activity centre core
• adjusted building heights to ensure key view lines to Kilbreda Tower (former Coffee Palace) are protected
• identified key pedestrian streets to protect sun access to footpaths and encourage people to spend time in
• applied high sun protection to the Mentone Station Heritage Gardens to reflect its value to the community, and along Balcombe Road, Florence Street, Mentone Parade and Como Parade West to ensure these streets remain bright and to ensure future canopy trees can grow
• applied primary active frontage controls along Balcombe Road, Florence Street, Mentone Parade and Como Parade West to ensure high levels of activation still take place.

Mentone core and catchment map

The map below shows the core and catchment boundaries of the Mentone train and tram zone activity centre. It also highlights key transport connections and open spaces.

Mentone core and catchment explained

The core is the central part of the train and tram zone activity centre, closest to public transport, jobs and services. This area is best suited to accommodate more homes.

The catchment is the surrounding area within approximately 10 minutes’ walk of the core (around 800 metres).

As you move away from the commercial and community core of the train and tram zone activity centre, we expect that the proposed building heights will gradually decrease. This will allow a transition between the activity centre and the surrounding suburb.

In Mentone, the inner catchment responds to accessibility to Mentone’s commercial heart and the Station.

The outer catchment avoids areas closest to the foreshore that are affected by the existing Design and Development Overlay Schedule 1. Its extent is also limited by the Nepean Highway.

Visit the How we’re planning page to find out more about core and catchment areas, new planning tools, streamlined planning processes and the approach to delivering more homes in train and tram zone activity centres.

How we planned for Mentone

• Visit the About the Program page to find out more about how we planned for the train and tram zone activity centres.
• Understand how infrastructure contributions plans will support these important changes.
• Understand the planning scheme changes. See Amendment GC285.
• Download the Local Variation Testing Report for Mentone to learn about the testing that has been done to support these changes.
• Use the Train and Tram Zone Activity Centre Program interactive map to find out where the planning scheme has changed.

How your feedback helped shape our plans

We heard from the Mentone community through two rounds of consultation and a Community Reference Group made up of local community members. Your feedback has helped to shape our planning.

Council and community feedback in the Mentone area focused on protecting local character and heritage, responding to local conditions and special locations within the activity centre and adjusting building heights within the activity centre core.

Activity centre plans

The built form outcomes and building heights for the activity centre core are set out on the following plans:

Plan 3: Mentone typology, activation and setbacks.
Plan 4: Mentone building heights and sun protection.

The plans support the right types of homes being built in the places they fit best.

Plan 3 (above): Mentone typology, activation and setbacks (Note: Typology refers to a building type that is suitable for a particular set of lot types and locations. Street activation requires new buildings to provide open and inviting shopfronts to encourage lively and safe streets. A setback is the minimum distance a building must be placed away from a property boundary, road, or natural feature.)

Plan 4 (above): Mentone building heights and sun protection. (Note: Key pedestrian street means a street where we have applied overshadowing controls to make sure there is sun access.)