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Hines’ plans for a nine-storey office tower in Richmond have been referred to a special advisory committee by the Victorian planning minister, delaying the future of the project further.
The Priority Projects Standing Advisory Committee will hold private direction hearings into the plans and a public hearing on October 11 before making its recommendation to the minister.
The latest proposal includes a planning scheme amendment that would make the Victorian planning minister the relevant determining authority for the project. If approved, it would expand the minister’s determining powers on planning proposals.
The Development Facilitation Program decided that the project met relevant criteria for it to go through an accelerated approval process.
The Yarra City Council refused a permit for Hines’ previous version of the Woods Bagot-designed plans with 10 storeys that was submitted in December 2019.
The council asked in 2020 for further information. There were 79 community objections to the plans citing building height, setback and traffic concerns. Subsequently, the council refused the permit.
Hines then went to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to appeal against the council failing to determine the case within the allocated time period.
The Yarra council confirmed to VCAT that it would have refused planning permission for the original version of the plans due to building height and setback concerns.
In March 2021, VCAT ruled that the appeal was refused and that the council had the right to refuse the application.
The latest plans show a nine-storey building both office and retail space, food and drink premises, and a reduction in the car parking space requirements.
Hines recently announced $1-billion plans for an office tower at 600 Collins Street in the CBD. It recently purchased logistics sites at Tullamarine and Campbellfield in Victoria from Honda Australia.
