Sky-high approval

The green light has again been given to construct Melbourne’s tallest building in Southbank.

A revamped design of Australia 108 was approved by Planning Minister Matthew Guy last month, after the original approval design was found to be intruding into airspace for aircraft using Essendon Airport.

The building was one of two approved by Mr Guy in Southbank in June, having also given the green light to a new tower at 84-90 Queensbridge St.

While Mr Guy referred to the building in his press release as Australia 108, it is set to become “the building formally known as Australia 108”, given it is no longer a 108-storey structure. Developer World Class Land avoided using the name in its press release.

In describing the new version of Australia 108, Mr Guy said the central city was the right place for buildings of this nature.

“Australia 108 will be the first 100-storey building in the Southern Hemisphere. At a height of 319 metres above ground it fits within relevant aviation regulations, and will include 1105 apartments,” Mr Guy said.

“When completed Australia 108 will be the most striking building on Melbourne’s skyline and a great example of the strength of homegrown Melbourne architecture.”

70 Southbank Boulevard is owned by World Class Land, which is a subsidiary of Singaporean company Aspial Corporation. It is still designed by the original architects who put Australia 108 forward, Fender Katsalidis.

Aspial CEO Koh Wee Seng said the company was proud to deliver the tower to Melbourne.

“We believe this building will play a major role in showcasing Melbourne as a world-class city and leader in modern architecture.”

The building at 84-90 Queensbridge St is at the corner of Queensbridge St, Kingsway overpass and City Rd.

The tower is 185 metres tall and will be home to 295 apartments.

Mr Guy compared the approvals in metropolitan Melbourne favourably against metropolitan Sydney.

“Since 2010, 54 per cent more homes have gained building approval in metropolitan Melbourne than in Sydney, and 11 per cent more than the entire state of New South Wales,” Mr Guy said.