Masterplan Approved for Former Werribee Water Authority Site

A a residential masterplan on a site formerly owned by Southern Rural Water has been approved by the City of Wyndham council.

The proposal for 59 two-storey and three-storey townhouses on the 9596sq m site at 3 Tower Road was filed in March, 2022.

IN8 Architects designed the masterplan to incorporate an eye-catching detail—a heritage-listed water tower.

It and the existing one-storey office building and carpark are on a small western portion of the site and will be retained.

The plans show that the townhouses will sit next to the office and behind the water tower, allowing it to become a focal piece in the landscape. 

Council records estimated the cost of the project at $15 million.

The site last changed hands in December, 2020 for $4.95 million, according to CoreLogic. 

There were eight objections to the proposal when it was advertised in 2022, centering around traffic, density and the potential impacts on amenity.

After the council failed to make a determination on time in 2022, an appeal was filed with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. 

▲ A render of Oreana Property Group’s village hub in Tarneit, Victoria.

The proposal was then amended to address concerns.

Wyndham council was satisfied with the amended plans and approved it at its meeting this month.

Werribee and other suburbs within the City of Wyndham are now experiencing an increase in development activity as more residents and businesses move in.

The region is well positioned as a commuter centre as the City of Greater Geelong grows and the City of Melbourne reshapes what the CBD and surrounding suburbs will look like.

This will soon be amplified with the work done through the Surburban Rail Loop Authority and upgrades to the railway line with the planned Werribee Corridor under Victoria’s high-speed rail connection plans for Geelong.