A Melbourne developer has turned its attention from its usual high-end projects for a 13-storey affordable housing proposal at Dandenong’s city centre. Jacmax Developments has filed plans with the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning for the tower on an 836sq m site at 18-24 Scott Street, 29km south-east of the Melbourne CBD. The site is next to the Revitalising Central Dandenong project (RCD). Development Victoria and developer Capital Alliance are working jointly on that project. Approval has been  granted to move the existing Little India strip from near the Dandenong Train Station to another block along Scott Street as part of the project. Jacmax has proposed 86 apartments on the vacant rectangular site now used for carparking. All homes would be affordable housing managed through provider Community Housing Limited (CHL). Cera Stribley Architects has designed the plans that also include two communal spaces on the ground floor for residents, and 36 carparking bays across the three-storey podium levels—the ground, first and second floors. The requirement is for 103, however Jacmax is requesting a carparking reduction. There would also be 34 bicycle storage spaces on those floors. Jacmax has not ruled out the possibility of a cafe tenancy after requests from the City of Greater Dandenong Council. The developer’s most recent project was a high-end midrise residential project, Boxshall Brighton . ▲ Rendering of the proposed affordable housing project at Dandenong. Jacmax director Trent Skurrie told The Urban Developer that project, 15 upmarket apartments across a lowrise, three-level development in Melbourne’s well-heeled Brighton neighbourhood, was “our usual bread and butter”.  “ We were approached to take on this site with information that CHL were interested,” he said.   Cotality property records show the site last changed hands in August of 2023 for $2.5 million and settled in August of that year. Title records show a Scott St Dandenong Pty Ltd as the owner of the site and ASIC records confirmed Skurrie as the director of Scott St Dandenong. There is an agreement that CHL will purchase the site after development, pending funding. That funding could come from Homes Victoria but if that was unsuccessful, applying to Round Two of the Housing Australia Future Funding Facility (HAFFF) is being considered.  Skurrie told The Urban Developer that the cost was likely to be about $65 million.  The Federal Government this month confirmed that 18,000 social and affordable homes across Australia were being funded by Round One and Two of the HAFFF. Victoria is expected to deliver 5418 social and affordable homes via the fund.
