Anstey Precinct's premier development site offered for sale

Brunswick's Anstey Precinct has been a favourite of Urban.com.au's for some years, essentially a microcosm of Melbourne's greater push toward higher density living outside the central city.

Anchored by Anstey Railway Station and with Breese Street as its spine, the Anstey Precinct has been subject to intense apartment development during recent years. While Urban.com.au has been both positive and critical of the resulting built-form, one planning application shone through during 2014.

Fast forward and the site in question at 12 Duckett Street is now up for sale with Colliers offering the 4,858sqm land parcel with approval for an interesting apartment development in tow.

While developers will be drawn by the MOS Architects scheme allowing for 185 apartments and 11 commercial tenancies, the true 'super' nature of 12 Duckett Street is the manner in which it addresses the public realm.

With two separate residential buildings either side of Duckett Street the proposal sought and was granted the right to turn part of Duckett Street into a car free zone. Hand in hand with this is the introduction of a generous amount of green space on and around the development.

The piazza is integral to the success of this development. We identified our subject site as a significant contributor to the high quality emerging developments within the close proximity.

Integration with the existing shared Upfield path is established as the site opens up to this path, promoting alternative movements and significant pedestrian activity.

MOS Architects, 2014 planning statement

Approximately 80 metres of active frontage, high site permeability, green walls and setbacks to the Upfield bike path; these are traits not applicable to the majority of apartment developments which have landed within Anstey Precinct in recent years. And consequently this is why 12 Duckett Street is such an interesting and important development for the region.

While 12 Duckett Street looks for a new owner, construction is back on the agenda within Anstey Precinct. Almost simultaneously, two mid-sized apartment projects have begun construction with Maycon's Hendrix Apartments and Romano Property Group's 8 Breese both approaching bulk excavation.

Between the two developer-builder driven projects, approximately 135 apartments will be added to Anstey Precinct in addition to some much needed ground level activation by way of retail outlets.

Also set for construction is Nightingale at 6 Florence Street after receiving a Notice of Decision from Moreland City Council during March. After a well publicised VCAT rejection, the proposal was subject to minor alterations with limited onsite car parking included. With final approval in the offing, Nighingale looks like its set to join the Anstey Precinct, albeit long after it was intended.