Plans submitted for Boyd site

Developer PDG Corporation lodged a planning permit last month for the long-awaited mixed-use development at the rear of Boyd Community Hub.

It comes after PDG struck an agreement with the City of Melbourne in June to create a community-focused development incorporating a mix of residences, a boutique hotel, retail and community facilities.

The island site is part of Boyd Park, which spans close to two acres of newly completed parkland (to be formally opened to the community in December) for existing and future residents.

The PDG site abuts the Kings Way and Kavanagh St corner, and is currently home to a temporary basketball court and fruit orchard while PDG awaits planning approval for its plan, which will include 1000sqm of community facilities.

PDG Corporation managing director Vince Giuliano said: “Our vision is to create a vertical village that will be enhanced by the newly created two-acre park as its main entrance. It will be an energetic collaboration of high-quality residences with community and nature, culminating in the perfect inner-city home – the new Boyd Village”.

“We thank City of Melbourne for selecting PDG as preferred developer on this project. We are excited to share and deliver on their strategic vision, which centres around the Southbank community, present and future.”

PDG Corporation said that given the interest in the project to date, it had not ruled out the project being all build-to-rent, following on from the company’s latest build-to-rent Munro development project at Queen Victoria Market.

While the new 110-metre development has increased in height from what was originally proposed for the site (87m), the new deal includes 1000 sqm of new community space across its first two floors - 450 sqm more than what council requested in its tender.

The parcel of land at 132 Kavanagh St has also had its previous footprint reduced from 2356 sqm to provide for a larger Boyd Park. The park and Boyd Community Hub together with the new community space in the development will now account for 6684 sqm of the precinct.

The developer plans to start building next year with a two-year construction program.