Timber! Grocon’s wooden Melbourne building Delta on hold as Lend Lease’s Forté to grow quickly

Does the disappearance of one timber building make a sound if people aren't around to hear it?

No one will ever know because all cameras were pointed towards the recent launch of Lend Lease's new Forté development as Grocon's Delta plans were quietly put on hold.

Lend Lease have started construction on the world's tallest timber residential building in Docklands.

Grocon had announced plans in March last year to build the world's tallest timber residential building on the former Carlton United Brewery site in Melbourne.

The 10-storey Delta was due to take the title from London's nine-storey Stadthaus, but Lend Lease will now beat Grocon to it.

Lend Lease's Forté will rise 32 metres from the ground to be the world's tallest, and Melbourne's first timber residential tower.

Construction is due to be finished in October.

After Grocon's March announcement not much more was heard.

In September last year, Grocon's national design manager and general manager of the CUB site, David Waldren, gave a talk at the Building Australia's Future conference suggesting plans were going ahead.

But Property Observer spoke to Grocon spokesperson Jane Wilson, who confirmed industry whispers that the plans for the building were on hold.

"The situation with Delta is pretty much that it's on hold at the moment," Wilson says.

"It's still a concept at the moment, but we do hope to build it next year.

"We certainly do want a timber residential building, and we hope it will go ahead.

"Lend Lease is obviously going to be ahead of us."

Grocon will for now focus on the Swanston Square development on the same site.

"We have been selling apartments in Swanston Square development, which is part of the CUB site.

"We're due to start construction there soon," Wilson says.

Grocon need not worry too much as if any of three mooted plans around the world go to plan, Lend Lease will have the title taken away from them soon enough.

{module Would you buy an apartment in a timber building?}