City Backs Ceapal’s North Melbourne Apartments, Shop

Developer Ceapal is one step closer to getting their mixed-use project in North Melbourne off the ground as the City of Melbourne’s Future Melbourne Committee has decided to support its application. 

Ceapal submitted the application to the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning in June 2023.

The plans for the mixed-use project were designed by Rothelowman and include a building with 394 apartments and a supermarket at 218-246 Macaulay Road and 23-35 Boundary Road, North Melbourne. 

One part of the building fronting Macaulay Road will be six storeys while two adjacent sections will be 12 storeys, which is the height limit for the area.

There will be a total gross floor area of 42,104.8sq m with 82 studio apartments, 156 one-bedroom apartments, 132 two-bedroom apartments and 24 three-bedroom apartments.

Affordable housing will make up 4 per cent of the total, around 15 apartments, offered at a 35 per cent discount on market rates, according to the submitted plans.

There will be a total of 757.2sq m with three retail tenancies and a supermarket floor on the ground level with 1985.7sq m of space. 

The basement will have space for 190 carparking spaces with 138 for residents and 52 for retail customers, 10 motorcycle parking spaces and 484 bicycle storage spaces. 

▲ Hines and other developers have previously filed plans for build-to-rent projects along Macaulay Road.

City of Melbourne planning officers recommended that the application be supported when it was referred to them by the state department. 

The City of Melbourne's planning committee, the Future of Melbourne committee voted unanimously to support the application.

A brick warehouse and office building now occupies the 7811sq m site.

Council documents confirm that Ceapal Pty Ltd is the current owner of the site and the estimated cost of works is $105 million.

CoreLogic records show that the property was listed for sale in April 2023, though no exchange has been recorded. 

Macaulay Road is becoming an important strip within North Melbourne as developers have submitted several plans for build-to-rent projects taking advantage of large lot sizes previously used for warehouse and manufacturing uses.

Final planning approval will now be determined by the Victorian planning minister Sonya Kilkenny pending any other necessary referrals to third-party agencies.