The findings come as the Victorian Government plans to demolish and redevelop all 44 public housing towers by 2051. Researchers say the Barkly Street case shows renewal decisions should be made site by site, rather than applying a single approach across the state.

The report found that demolishing and rebuilding the tower at 351 Barkly Street would come with significant environmental costs and could disrupt a well-established community.

By contrast, refurbishing the building’s 123 units and adding new homes on the site would allow upgrades to happen sooner, keep residents in their homes and cut carbon emissions by up to 44.5% compared with a knockdown-and-rebuild approach. Costs for both options were found to be similar.

Report Co-Author Professor Karien Dekker from RMIT’s School of Property, Construction and Project Management says the research challenged the idea that demolition was the only viable path.
“Demolition shouldn’t be the default when it comes to renewing public housing,” she says.

“Our findings show refurbishment, with carefully planned new homes added on site, should be properly assessed before decisions are made that force residents to move.”

With 97% of residents aged over 55, the report warns that relocating tenants could place older people under significant strain. Moving residents away from familiar surroundings and support networks could undermine their ability to age in place and increase stress and health risks.

Researchers spoke with about 12 residents and 10 experts from organisations including Homes Victoria, Housing Choices Australia and Merri-bek City Council.

Building on earlier work with OFFICE architects, the team developed alternative redevelopment options that keep the existing tower. These scenarios were tested using environmental modelling, construction cost estimates and spatial analysis.

The study found that a refurbishment-led approach, combined with carefully placed new housing, would deliver better outcomes by avoiding large-scale displacement.

Report Co-Author Dr Ben Milbourne from RMIT’s School of Architecture and Urban Design says similar, detailed assessments were rarely available for other public housing estates in Victoria.

“Our aim was to put practical options on the table, with the numbers and the design work alongside what residents told us they need,” he says.

“This kind of assessment should be the starting point for all public housing sites, before any decisions are locked in.”

The report also recommends involving residents early and throughout the planning process, reducing rehousing risks through staged construction, and embedding climate and circular economy goals into renewal decisions.

Dekker says investing in retrofit and decarbonisation skills for trades and contractors could help build local capacity as the renewal program expands.

“Retrofit-led renewal can support the workforce by creating local jobs in upgrades and maintenance, building skills in low-carbon refurbishment,” she says.

The researchers have called on the Victorian Government to independently assess and publish site-by-site evidence on renewal options before committing to widespread demolition.

Render: 351 Barkly Street, Brunswick / supplied

Clémence Carayol

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