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Office building to double in size

Office building to double in size

A proposal to add 10-storeys to an existing office building on the corner of Southbank Boulevard and City Rd was endorsed by City of Melbourne councillors last month.

Developer Taverners Property Pty Ltd will now seek an approval from Planning Minister Richard Wynne to increase the established commercial building’s overall height to 74-metres.

Councillors unanimously supported the $50 million project at the Future Melbourne Committee meeting on July 19.  

If approved, the development would see an additional 10-storeys of serviced apartments added to what is currently a seven-storey office building (which will be retained for commercial use).

Designed by Bates Smart, the development would comprise 220 serviced apartments and refurbishment of the existing office levels, including the installation of lifts and service facilities, a mezzanine level and a new hotel lobby at ground level.

While the application was submitted shortly after Mr Wynne’s C262 interim planning rules were enforced in September last year, Cr Rohan Leppert said the application had been at an advanced stage.

The debate on the application was ultimately short-lived as Cr Leppert said council had no choice but to go with its planning officers recommendation and give the all clear.

“The application was very well advanced. Given that the department and the Minister is at a disposition to allow applications in that category to be assessed under the old rules, and given that the council to date has not opposed that, it is only fair therefore that it is being assessed under the old rules,” Cr Leppert said.

“Normally I’m loath to do so but due to the reasons just stated I do believe that the procedural fairness issues are made so it is fair to assess the application under the old rules.”

“There is an existing building there of course and it’s quite a unique site given that it’s just building on top of the existing building but, for the urban design reasons that have been thoroughly teased out in this report, I’m happy to land where the recommendation is.”

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