CoPP provides limited joy for two Fishermans Bend proposals
City of Port Phillip will this week indicate that it has sufficient reason to object to two pending projects in Port Melbourne.
17 Rocklea Drive and 365-391 Plummer Street are both within the Wirraway Precinct of Fishermans Bend, and both projects are under the authority of the Minister for Planning. Nonetheless it has been recommended by internal planners that City of Port Phillip denies support for either application in their respective current forms.
The two proposals are controlled by separate entities, although it's been reported that Malvern-based Third Street is the developer of both projects, with Elenberg Fraser the common architect. The duo collaborated for Third Street's first Fishermans Bend project, dubbed PM Port Melbourne which is approaching a construction start.
In its current guise, 365-391 Plummer Street consists of 1,188 apartments backed by 985 car parks over three separate towers. A restaurant, café, sensory retreat, numerous retail spaces and supermarket support the residences; although there has been no provision for an affordable housing component.
Almost half the apartments are designated as single bedroom abodes (582), with the balance consisting of 494 dual bedroom and 112 triple bedroom dwellings.
Plans for the 19,410 square metre site nominates a new through block of 2,673 square metres as the development's public open space.
With 18 storeys above three ‘mezzanine’ storeys, 17 Rocklea Drive has a considerably smaller number of apartments planned. SoHo office/dwellings and apartments amount to 224, split between 131 single bedroom, 66 dual bedroom and 27 triple bedroom dwellings.
A cinema, health club, yoga room, oversized dining room, garden lounge, communal landscaped terrace, sky lounge, library, business club, meeting room, skyline pool, jacuzzi, and rooftop landscaped outdoor area headline the project's considerable amenities.
365-391 Plummer Street's Floor Area Ratio stands at 6.94:1, whilst 17 Rocklea Drive's is lower at 5.66:1.
Although nominally against both projects in their current forms, City of Port Phillip have included a set of draft conditions for both in the likelihood that they will eventually gain approval.
For the Plummer Street development, Council has cited concerns in relation to "the amenity of dwellings including daylight access and outlook, lack of affordable housing and 3 bedroom dwellings, parking provision and design, loading and waste collection, bike parking provision and design, and sustainability."
City of Port Phillip has attached standard draft conditions to their report in order to assist VCAT should they determine to approve the proposal; these conditions are primarily focused on the inclusion of an affordable housing aspect. Beyond that Council has chosen to refrain from other conditions, citing the complexity of the application.
A number of issues surrounding Rocklea Drive pertain to "building height exceeding the mandatory maximum number of storeys, car park design...lack of diversity in housing types and sizes, wind impacts adjacent to and within the site, lack of affordable housing." Council also believes these issues can be ameliorated by conditions which would see the proposal modified.