Vicwide Plots Height Doubling for Greensborough Plans

Vicwide Homes has filed an amendment application to expand its approved development at Greensborough, proposing a 14-storey mixed-use building with 63 apartments.

The application now before the Banyule Council seeks to change a planning permit approved in October 2015 for an eight-storey building at 4-6 Flintoff Street, 18km north-east of the Melbourne CBD.

The revised proposal would increase the building height from 26m to 44m and add residential, retail and community facilities across the site 190m from the Greensborough Train Station.

The site is within Greensborough Major Activity Centre, a designated substantial change area under the Banyule Housing Strategy where increased density is encouraged.

According to the plans by SAC Building Workshop, the development would comprise 45 two-bedroom apartments and 18 three-bedroom units across levels one to 12, adding one home to the 62-units originally approved.

The proposal eliminates the one-bedroom apartments in the original approval, focusing on larger homes more suited to families.

At least half of the apartments would meet accessibility standards for people with limited mobility. 

A three-level basement would provide 125 car spaces, nine motorcycle spaces and 36 bicycle spaces.

Commercial components include 333sq m of retail space across the lower ground and ground floors. The ground floor would house 103sq m of retail premises and a 240sq m office, while the lower ground floor would have two retail tenancies totalling 230 square metres.

The application proposes a 632sq m, 80-place childcare centre across the lower ground and ground floors, with outdoor play areas on the eastern side.

▲ Revised plans would nearly double the height of the approved eight-storey building at Greensborough.

The facility would also provide community services in the activity centre.

A rooftop terrace would have 170sq m of communal open space with landscaping including canopy trees.

Site coverage would reduce from 75 per cent to 70 per cent under the amended plans but permeability would decrease from 12.3 per cent to 4.3 per cent.

The building would include setbacks up to 8m from Flintoff Street, with ground floor retail activating the street frontage.

The site is within the Major Activity Centre, and aligns with Plan Melbourne 2050 and the Victorian Housing Statement objectives for increased density near transport and services.

Other development activity in the area includes Greensborough Central Investments’ $55-million, 17-storey affordable housing tower at 106-126 Main Street approved by the state in May.

The Cera Stribley-designed project received approval two months after lodgement through the Development Facilitation Program and will deliver 211 apartments in a mix of 94 one-bedroom and 117 two-bedroom units.