The next wave: August's planning approval bonanza

The next wave: August's planning approval bonanza
Mark BaljakSeptember 2, 2017

Continuing from yesterday's piece covering the boon in recent approvals across greater Melbourne during July, August's approvals and NOD's take precedence below. 

Only last week Urban.com.au covered the news that 3-43 Waterfront Way within Dockland gained approval during August, with a new Marriott-branded hotel confirmed for the development. The second part of Melbourne's mid year planning bonanza continues below beginning with other projects that fall within City of Melbourne's boundaries.

CoM approve

In the City of Melbourne, after a number of design iterations the residential tower slated for 502 Albert Street, East Melbourne has a planning permit.

Created by DCM Architects, the tower has found resolution after 31 months at planning. The most recently advertised version design saw a 20-storey building intended for the site which overlooks Parliament Gardens. 

Included are 105 apartments which are skewed toward single bedroom abodes, after initially being submitted as an ultra-luxury development.

The next wave: August's planning approval bonanza
East Melbourne, North Melbourne and Southbank in clockwise formation

The planning process for two other developments is all but completed; 31 Coventry Street, Southbank and North Melbourne's 15-27 Wreckyn Street both received a Notice of Decision to Grant Permit during August.

The former is an Elenberg Fraser-inspired tower of 120 apartments across 21 storeys for developer Headland Properties. It is a redesign amalgamating two separate development sites to create a more substantial scheme with an increased apartment yield and improved resident amenity.

15-27 Wreckyn Street, on the other hand, is UniLodge's latest offering, with hundreds of new student beds sweating on a final permit prior to construction commencing.

CoPP approve

Three significant applications within City of Port Phillip can now become bona fide projects. August heralded the approval of 14-16 The Esplanade54-60 St Kilda Road and 37-43 Park Street.

Barana Group's bid to transform the current Novotel Melbourne St Kilda into 236 dwellings can proceed. Under plans conceived by Metier3 Architects, The Esplanade will eventually be home to a collection of townhouses and apartments, with the mix weighted toward larger two and three bedroom apartments.

The next wave: August's planning approval bonanza
Park Street, St Kilda Road and The Esplanade

Spacious Group has also found joy with 54-60 St Kilda Road. The developer now has a Hayball-designed apartment building in its keep, with the initial application calling for 103 apartments and 500sqm of retail space within a 10 level building, which will eventually replace a low-rise commercial building currently onsite.

Elsewhere and Milbex has been successful in increasing the size of its intended tower at 37-43 Park Street, South Melbourne. Dubbed 39W, the tower can now accommodate circa 200 apartments across 20 levels and is a short distance to Milbex's initial project in the area at 52 Park street.

Middle-ring gains

387-403 Malvern Road received the go-ahead for Metrobuild Pty Ltd. Under plans devised by CBG Architects the 6 level building can accommodate upwards of 40 dwellings.

The next wave: August's planning approval bonanza
Airport West, Hawthorn and South Yarra in clockwise formation

Key projects in Hawthorn and Airport West also received a Notice of Decision during August.

538-542 Burwood Road is primed to add 25 apartments for Miura Group whilst One Pacific Asia Group Pty Ltd is closer to making a mixed-use building at 83 Matthews Avenue a reality. That project shapes as the first major development within the rezoned Airport West Activity Centre, and as submitted would include apartments, serviced apartments and commercial space.

Suburban splendour

Glen Waverley continues to attract a solid stream of higher density projects, with the latest approved being 50 Montclair Avenue. The development will see 38 apartments and commercial space over 13 levels, in a scheme devised by Life Design Architecture.

The next wave: August's planning approval bonanza
Glen Waverley and Moorabbin's sprawling South Road development

With its permit issued mere days ago, the largest project on the agenda is 420 South Road, Moorabbin.

Peddle Thorp Architects and RPC Architects have combined for the expansive project that sees hundreds of new apartments and a substantial serviced apartment building approved. As submitted the development consists of five buildings of up to 10 levels across a 20,000sqm site.

420 South Road, Moorabbin was at planning for 14 months prior to its permit being granted.

Mark Baljak

Mark Baljak was a co-founder of Urban.com.au. He passed away on Thursday 8th of November 2018 after a battle with cancer. He was 37. Mark was a keen traveller, having visited all six permanently-inhabited continents and had a love of craft beer. One of his biggest passions was observing the change that has occurred in Melbourne over the past two decades. In that time he built an enormous library of photos, all taken by him, which tracked the progress of construction on building sites from across metropolitan Melbourne.

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