MAB Corporation's NewQuay West a step closer
The City of Melbourne earlier this week agreed to provide conditional support for MAB Corporation's NewQuay West Development Plan via its Future Melbourne (Planning) Committee. The revised development plan prepared by DKO Architecture and ASPECT Studios was driven by the development of the Ron Barassi Senior Park which necessitated a revisiting of the precinct layout and urban structure.
The area identified as NewQuay West is located to the west of the recently completed Marina Tower and encompasses Ron Barassi Snr Park while being bordered by Docklands Drive and the Docklands FIlm Studios to the north, Bolte Bridge to the west and Victoria Harbour to the south.
The 2017 Development Plan has been reconfigured to address Ron Barassi Snr Park, with a series of design principles developed which provide clear direction to ensure a considered approach to the interface of built form to the public realm including the waterfront promenade.
One of the biggest alterations to the Development Plan has been the layout and type of future built form within the precinct. Initially proposed as a mix of low-rise linear buildings along the waterfront and high-rise to the rear along Docklands Drive, the new plan proposes five mid to high-rise apartment buildings atop podiums positioned either side of a proposed linear park and an extension of Docklands Drive.
The layout and location of public realm including public open space provision and the southern pedestrian promenade have also been amended with the linear park acting as an extension of the existing park delivered as part of The Merchant and Townhouse developments.
The NewQuay West Development Plan will deliver an urban waterfront precinct that, while being an extension of existing development further to the east, will create a new and diverse character in the remaining parts of the NewQuay precinct.
The urban structure has been underpinned by the creation of public open space networks extending through the length of the precinct. The open space network is largely defined by the waterfront promenade and marinas and the Ron Barassi Senior Park and Linear Park corridor.
Subsequently, the built form typology, siting and design will be in a large part driven by ensuring an appropriate response to these public spaces and in particular the amenity of Ron Barassi Senior Park and Linear Park.
- Urban Design Statement, NewQuay West Development Plan 2017
The revised Development Plan establishes a series of parameters for tower and podium heights which are listed below.
- Lot B 120m
- Lot C 120m
- Lot D 95m
- Lot G 75m
- Lot H 75m
Podium Heights:
- Linear Park 20m (4-6 Levels)
- Ron Barassi Senior Park 25m (6-8 Levels)
- Promenade 23m (5-7 Levels)
- Docklands Drive 25m (6-8 Levels)
In addition to the information above, the Development Plan also suggests potential options for tower footprints and forms to encourage and facilitate diversity in built form outcomes rather than a generic approach. Similar to DKO's master plan for NewQuay Central, the NewQuay West Development Plan suggests different architects for each building to further provide a visual distinction between each building.
Pending Ministerial approval MAB Corporation will likely turn its attention to NewQuay West following completion of Elm and Stone, and the Six Degrees-designed Lot 5 at 375-381 Docklands Drive.
This will essentially complete the NewQuay precinct, save for a wedge of land which has not been included within the NewQuay West Development Plan, but is the likely landing area for a future bridge connection to Victoria Harbour.
