The official go-ahead has been given to the master plan by SO – IL and Hassell for what would be one of Australia’s largest redevelopment schemes in recent memory following a decision late last week by the state of Victoria’s planning minister Richard Wynne.

Popular Australian daily The Age is reporting that the $1.7 billion Melbourne Arts Precinct effort, which has drawn its fair share of detractors from within Melbourne’s arts community, is set to move forward with the plan from the Brooklyn-based firm and its Australian partner that includes a garden pathway and heavily-cantilevered new 60-meter (196-foot) tall contemporary art gallery dubbed the NGVC.

Victoria’s planning council had previously warned of hazards, including possible wind tunnels and the various risks created for pedestrians by the gallery’s five-meter cantilever, which hangs over the abutting Kavanagh Street and Southbank Boulevard. Melbourne city councilor Rohan Leppert called the project “spectacular” but said there are yet “some major issues will still need to be resolved.”

In response to several inquiries from the paper, a government official stated that “sensible planning controls have been put in place to ensure the transformation is mindful of design impacts including wind, overshadowing, traffic, environmental sustainability, and pedestrian movement.”

One such control outlined by the council further stipulated that “the proposed building envelope and massing at [the NGVC site] cannot be supported unless all proposed massing envelopes are demonstrated within the precinct ... to understand cumulative effects on precinct character, visual perspectives, overshadowing, wind conditions, and pedestrian amenity.”

The project is reportedly set to add some 11,000 construction jobs to the area before completion. The winner of the separate design competition for the new gallery is also expected to be announced this week. Archinect will share additional project details as they are made available.