Planning & Property Partners

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<p>It endured as a paper design for years, but now a new scheme is on show for 41-49 Bank Street, South Melbourne.</p>

<p>Initial overtones of development for the site landed with Port Phillip during 2009, but amounted to nothing even though the project was marketed at one stage as Aero Apartments. Enter Virgate Property (Bank Street) Pty Ltd who are driving the current bid to transform the plot into a substantial residential tower.</p>

<p>Moved on during 2016, 41-49 Bank Street's sale at the hand of CBRE City Sales was <a href="http://www.australiannationalreview.com/chinese-developers-invest-56-million-melbourne-apartment-sites/">reportedly</a> to Chinese developer Guangdong Carrington Real Estate Group, with the previous permit for a 16-level tower of 180 apartments in tow.</p>

<p>Their local development arm, Virgate Property Group, is now pushing for a tower of 19 levels and 174 apartments.</p>

<h2>41-49 Bank Street application summary</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image40_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Bank Street perspective. Planning image: Bruce Henderson Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="608" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image40_7.jpg?itok=67TYFLVR" title="Bank Street perspective. Planning image: Bruce Henderson Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Bank Street perspective. Planning image: Bruce Henderson Architects</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>1,441sqm holding with in excess of 60 metres of frontage</li>
	<li>Currently a tri-level commercial building</li>
	<li>Proposed 19 level tower at 59.7m</li>
	<li>174 apartments: 37 x 1BR, 11 x 1BR+S, 126 x 2BR</li>
	<li>Apartment sizes: 46-82sqm</li>
	<li>Common areas on Levels 5 and 6</li>
	<li>Basement and above ground provisions for 124 vehicles &amp; 58 bicycles</li>
	<li>2 retail premises of 106sqm and 55sqm</li>
</ul>
<p>Planning &amp; Property Partners are guiding the Bruce Henderson Architects-designed tower through the planning process.</p>

<p>The tower itself features strong vertical elements by way of white metal slats set over silver, grey and dark grey glass. The main north elevation of the proposed tower is dominated by the slats, save for a few sections of unobscured glazing, including an architectural feature within the podium which houses the development's gym. </p>

<p>Having taken on a modest apartment project in Mont Albert, 41-49 Bank Street represents Virgate Property Group's first Melbourne highrise, although it's certainly not the area's first. Wedged between Dorcas Street and Park Street, 41-49 Bank Street is in the middle of a mushrooming precinct that spreads across Southbank and South Melbourne.</p>

<p>41-49 Bank Street is surrounded by a very healthy number of residential towers (from planning to construction) with 14 listed within the Urban.com.au Project Database in the immediately surrounding blocks.</p>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image41_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Views from the site. Image: CBRE City Sales"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="402" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image41_3.jpg?itok=v1tPXCHF" title="Views from the site. Image: CBRE City Sales" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Views from the site. Image: CBRE City Sales</figcaption></figure><h2>41-49 Bank Street development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Developer: Virgatee Property Group</li>
	<li>Application Plans: Bruce Henderson Architects</li>
	<li>Planning: Planning &amp; Property Partners</li>
	<li>Sustainable Management Plan: ADP Consulting</li>
	<li>Daylight Assessment Report: ADP Consulting</li>
	<li>Waste Management Plan: One Mile Grid</li>
	<li>Transport Impact Assessment: One Mile Grid</li>
</ul>
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silvermb

Take it to the Bank: South Melbourne's latest tower on show

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<p>Planning &amp; Property Partners has spearheaded the latest development push into Fishermans Bend, covering six separate residential towers fronting Normanby Road. The multi-disciplinary Melbourne-based practice is acting on behalf of six separate land owners who have seen it fit to amalgamate their land holdings into an integrated master planned development.</p>

<p>Lodged with DTPLI last week, the six separate properties straddling either side of Normanby Road would add 1,578 apartments to the Fishermans Bend mix over six 40 level towers, the maximum number of floors permitted under current Fishermans Bend interim height limits.</p>

<p>Designed by Hayball, the combined value of the six towers is an estimated $600 million and would see apartments start from 50sqm for a single bedroom apartment, moving up to 64sqm. Dual bedroom apartments begin at 91sqm while three bedroom dwellings see a minimum of 110sqm of living space.</p>

<p>As part of the development Port Phillip Housing Trust stands to benefit with the allocation of a number of apartments set aside for affordable housing use.</p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m0!3m2!1sen!2sau!4v1436210241959!6m8!1m7!1sOV_8HEvxi7GQjQPij4K_kQ!2m2!1d-37.829419!2d144.947599!3f2.1498087339594747!4f-10.576575587953641!5f0.7820865974627469" style="border:0" width="600"></iframe></p>

<p>While the sites in question currently offer light commercial uses, the planning applications seeks to reinvigorate ground level activities by way of an overhauled public realm. The combined urban design response will see increased mid-block activation with laneways between Normanby Road and Munro Street and Normanby Road and Woodgate Street.</p>

<p>Retail and commercial tenancies are set to line ground level spaces with podium level tenancies earmarked for commercial use, specifically ‘business incubator’ spaces designed to support start-up businesses within the precinct.</p>

<h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
<p>The net community benefit from a precinct approach is the creation of public spaces that feel good to be in and that people want to return to. We’ve carefully considered the human experience at street level with small-scale activities and spaces like laneways, pocket parks and plazas that feel intimate and engaging.</p>

<p>Making great places takes time and involves many complex ingredients to create a local experience which feels authentic. Early activation of the public realm and ‘seeding’ strategies to stitch new activities into the existing urban fabric are key to a celebrated local identity taking shape over time.</p>
<cite>Tom Jordan - Managing Director, Hayball</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
<p>This coordinated effort will create benefits for both occupiers and the broader community. It is a benchmark for a quality-driven, design response to residential apartment development, fostering a sense of community and providing a positive social contribution to the evolving Montague Precinct.</p>

<p>Doing 6 towers together can only mean a better coordinated outcome in both an urban design sense and how it will interact at street level. It is an exceptionally well put together proposal.</p>
<cite>Mark Naughton - Managing Director, Planning &amp; Property Partners</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image24_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Normanby Road precinct. Image courtesy Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="393" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image24_0.jpg?itok=LWbmwN3E" title="Normanby Road precinct. Image courtesy Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Normanby Road precinct. Image courtesy Hayball</figcaption></figure><h2>The bigger picture</h2>

<p>Further along Normanby Road there are two nearby properties currently hold planning permits for substantial towers. An Artisan Architects designed 40 level complex at <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/normanby-199-201-normanby-road-southbank">199 Normanby Road</a> has approval for 262 apartments while Perpetual Normanby Pty Ltd recently received the green light for a 49 and 39 level dual tower scheme at <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/228-238-normanby-road-southbank">228-238 Normanby Road</a>.</p>

<p>Overall Urban.com.au is currently tracking 43 towers within <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/council/melbourne/fishermans-bend">Fishermans Bend</a>, spread over 20 separate development plots. This figure is expected to fluctuate as a number of projects within the precinct such as <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/projects/6-78-buckhurst-street-south-melbourne">6-78 Buckhurst Street</a> are back in the hands of architects seeking an improved outcome.</p>
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