ApartmentsClare BurnettMon 28 Sep 26
‘Little Greece’ 122-Apartment Tower in Melbourne Greenlit
A 122-unit apartment block proposed for the southeast Melbourne suburb of Oakleigh has been approved.
The plans for 55-61 Atherton Road, in the suburb known as ‘Little Greece’ for its Greek diaspora, food and culture, were submitted in July via the Development Facilitation Program pathway.
The unofficial title was bestowed after a wave of post-World War II migration from Europe to Melbourne’s outer suburbs.
The developer of the project is listed as DC Atherton, a company led by Dionysios Spanos, according to ASIC.
Following the permit approval, DC Atherton will now be able to build its planned 15-storey tower in the City of Monash, 14km from the Melbourne CBD.
The project has an estimated development value of $78.8 million.
Of the 122 apartments, 15 will be one-bedroom, 81 two-bedroom and 26 three-bedroom units.
The development includes three retail outlets amounting to 541sq m on the ground floor and four levels of basement parking for 163 cars.
Designed by Peddle Thorp Architects, it has 310sq m of communal space planned for level 1 which includes a cinema and dining areas.
The developers sought a floor area uplift due to its community benefits, including a minimum of 12 per cent affordable housing which exceeds the standard 10 per cent allocation.
The planning report accompanying the Department of Transport and Planning approval said the height, setback and floor area uplift variations did not result in “unacceptable amenity impacts” and were “outweighed by the strategic, economic and community benefits” of the proposals.
The 1551sq m site is specifically identified in the Oakleigh Major Activity Centre Structure Plan as a “strategic redevelopment opportunity,” the DTP said.
The state government also noted the diversity of the homes within walking distance of public transport and employment opportunities, with a design which "contributes positively to the evolving character of the Oakleigh Major Activity Centre”.
The City of Monash and the Victorian Government are managing residential and commercial growth through the Carnegie to Oakleigh Train and Tram Zone Activity Centres program, allowing significant height uplifts in the area after identifying the area for increased density last year.
