Melbourne Finally Approves 10-Storey Office Tower for CBD

The City of Melbourne’s Future Melbourne Committee has approved an office block proposal the deputy mayor called “one of the hardest planning application decisions we have had to consider”.

Before them was Whitehaven Property Development’s proposal for its 918sq m site at 204-208 Albert Street, East Melbourne.

Original plans designed by Jackson Clement Burrows Architects were for a 10-storey office building behind three adjoining heritage terraces.

Those plans were rejected by the city after residents opposed the plans over the proposed heights.

The Victorian and Civil Administrative Tribunal sided with the council during an appeal, upholding the council’s decision to refuse planning permission in July, 2021.

Whitehaven then reapplied with a proposal for a seven-storey building and with the previous plan's cantilever component above the heritage buildings removed.

Part of the proposal also involved demolishing a non-heritage two-storey addition to the heritage terraces.

The site is on the border of the Commercial 1 Zone and the Residential Zone and is a contributory heritage site under the Heritage Places Inventory March 2022.

There was a significant number of objection to the proposals with 107 objections received around concerns with heights, massing, extent of demolition, impacts on amenity, traffic and parking and the need for another office building.

In light of those objections, Whitehaven removed one level, proposing a  six-storey building.

▲ The proposed plans for the building have been amended a number of times including reducing from ten storeys to six.

Committee members considered the planning scheme requirements, the site’s location in a transitional zone, residents’ objections and what VCAT felt was appropriate for the site in making the final decision.

“This is one of the hardest planning application decisions we have had to consider,” deputy lord mayor Nicholas Reece said.

“This particular application has a long history and it’s been very contentious.”

Reece also noted that although the zoning allowed for an office building, he would have preferred a different project.

“I would have much preferred that this was a residential apartment building, not an office building,” Reece said.

“We have a housing crisis in Victoria. We have a housing crisis in the municipality of Melbourne. We want to see more homes being built in the city [and] I want to see more homes being built in livable areas.”

Under the approved plans, the total net lettable area for the office space is 2951sq m with 19 carparking spaces across three basement levels and 46 bicycle storage spaces on the ground floor.

Levels one to six will be e space while the ground floor will have a food and beverage outlet and end-of-trip facilities.

The estimated cost of the project as listed on council documents at the time of the second application is $15 million.

ASIC records list Dean Pask as the director of Whitehaven Property Development Pty Ltd. Pask is also the director of the development company Pask.

Little Bourke Street hotel plan greenlit

The committee also approved the Yarra Hotel Group’s 25-storey hotel project on the former site of the Melbourne City Council Power Station at 620-632 Little Bourke Street in the CBD.

CHT Architects designed the plans for the project which is expected to cost $33.1 million, according to council documents.

CitiPower is listed as the site owner.

The project will have 207 hotel rooms, a lobby and a bar on the ground floor, and a gym and indoor and outdoor communal areas on the second storey.

There will also be 22 carparking spaces across two basement levels and 32 bicycle storage spaces.

Retaining the facade of the power station was part of the proposal, with large sections of the new building clad in black, rose-gold and gold metal cladding with dark grey and bronze glazing.

In August 2023, after advice from the Melbourne Design Review Panel, a proposed cantilever to the building was removed from the design.

There were 47 objections to the proposal but councillors found little problem in approving planning permission for it and voted to do so unanimously.

Cr Rohan Leppert said it was the best outcome for the project.

“This is an exemplary process leading to an exemplary outcome,” Leppert said.

Reece agreed.

“This is a case of us working with all the stakeholders, everyone in the community, investors, architects, developers, and ultimately getting to a result that is something that everyone can get behind,” Reece said.

“So when we read that the Victorian government is looking to change those arrangements, I've got to say that to the council that’s a matter of great concern.”