Banyule bustles with new apartment projects
Banyule is beginning to witness an upswing in projects entering the Urban.com.au Project Database as apartment developments within the municipality begin to take a foothold as with many other parts of Melbourne.
2015 witnessed a new high benchmark set for the area with the Fender Katsalidis-designed Ivanhoe Apartments gaining approval at 14 levels, becoming Banyule's tallest approved development to date.
Ivanhoe Apartments at 443 Upper Heidelberg Road may soon be joined by another sizeable project with the former Courtney and Patterson Ford site on Bell Street subject to a large planning application.
Proponent Blue Whale Property Group Australia Pty Ltd is seeking approval for the development of the former car yard into a mixed-use project.
Initially submitted at 14 to 16 levels during mid 2015, the project which features aged care spaces, independent living apartments, GP and medical clinic spaces, a gymnasium, childcare centre, residential hotel and traditional apartments has been scaled back somewhat in line with Council's expectations. With revised plans submitted during December headline details for the Hayball-designed project are as follows:
37-69 Bell Street, Ivanhoe
- 8,924sqm site with 125m frontage to Bell Street
- Four buildings of up to 12 levels
- Aged care and independent living apartments
- Traditional private apartments and hotel suites
- GP clinic and Allied Health consulting suites
- Various communal facilities
- 132 car barking bays, 14 bicycle bays and storage spaces
- Amenities include 901sqm gym, central courtyard garden, aged care day respite centre and cafe
The bulking of Banyule
A variety of smaller apartment projects are in the pipeline for the area as well, with Ivanhoe and Heidelberg accounting for many of the projects.
Blue Earth Group secured approval earlier in the year for an eight level apartment project at 9-11 Martin Street and 12 Powlett Street. Sold off by Austin Health and in close proximity to Heidleberg's medical precinct, Blue Earth Group are now free to pursue the SACBW-designed scheme which will include 131 apartments above medical and retail spaces.
Almost adjoining is a proposal for 91 Darebin Street, with Ascui & Co creating a six level building containing a medical suite and 37 apartments. 37 Burgundy Street is also subject to a six level mixed-use building, with a variety of other smaller 3-4 level apartments projects also current within Banyule City Council's planning process.
Lacking a dedicated planning register, Banyule City Council's planning process can be somewhat opaque, making the task of publicly tracking the municipality's higher density development all the more difficult.
Currently Urban.com.au is tracking 31 projects within Banyule, with a handful yet to be added to the Project Database. The vast majority are residential apartment projects and are at various stages of the development cycle.
Larger projects at construction include Evergreen Ivanhoe and Heidi Apartments which between them account for 177 dwellings, while smaller projects such as Cartmell Place and 13-17 Cartmell Place act as infill developments. Mooted to launch shortly is 104 Mount Street with approximately 120 dwellings while 294 Bell Street has been revised if the new render above is any guide.
Overall, Urban.com.au is tracking in excess of 2,100 apartments within Banyule.
