Poised and primed: key developments gain approval
The past fortnight has brought a number of high profile approvals which have been placed firmly in the public eye, but what of the lesser known planning applications that have been given or are poised to receive the green?
85-93 Lorimer Street, 1 Warde Street and Avant at 54-64 A'Beckett street have all had their time in the sun owing to their sizeable nature, with the three projects combining to add as many as 1,780 apartments to the Melbourne skyline. Avant in particular is set to make a striking addition to the northern end of the CBD due to it's reddish-pink exterior, carrying an expected $500 million development tag along the way.
There has also been a wave of other approvals of late, all of which will add to the city's development pipeline. In a variety of locations, some of the more notable developments to gain approval include:
3 Shiel Street, North Melbourne
SPEC Property have secured a permit for a project dubbed The Shiel Apartments at 3 Shiel Street, North Melbourne. Melbourne City Council saw fit to provide a permit for the 65-apartment project earlier this month.
The Shiel Street development is notable in that it along with a handful of other projects sited on Shiel Street and the adjoining Haines Street represent the vanguard push of residential developers into the Arden-Macaulay Precinct; a large tract of North Melbourne and Kensington slated to become a high density residential zone.
20-22 Queens Road and 74 Eastern Road
VCAT have ruled on both these projects which fell under the jurisdiction of Port Phillip City Council. Respective developers JD Group and Gurner are now free to pursue their approved schemes as they see fit.
20-22 Queens Road is the larger of the two developments at 17 levels, consuming a 4,598 sqm site and holding 269 dwellings. Both projects are at the foot of Albert Park, with 20-22 Queens Road set to enjoy unencumbered views.
6-10 Keele Street, Collingwood
Keele Street comes into focus as the latest project for local developer Pirovich. Submitted during late 2014, the SJB-designed project has gained approval according to Yarra City Council. With a determination dated June 25th, the 55-apartment project over a 930sqm block has a nominal value of $12 million and looks set to join the multitude of apartments projects within postcode 3066.
Incoming
Two high-profile projects are also set to gain approval in the not-too-distant future. A planning officer's report set to be tabled before Monash City Council on July 28th recommends the approval of The Glen redevelopment at 227 Springvale Road. Initially submitted with 515 apartments over three buildings, a variety of conditions have been suggested, chief of which is the reduction of the 'Signature Tower' from 86 metres to 63.7 metres in height.
July 28th also looms as the date where Carlton Connect will formally be adopted by Melbourne City Council. The project involves rezoning the former Royal Women’s Hospital to allow for a comprehensive redevelopment yielding three buildings which are expected to accommodate Australia’s premier innovation precinct.
Melbourne University will anchor the redevelopment which will seek to deepen the application of knowledge throughout the Australian economy according to the project's website.
