The Victorian Government has approved more than half a billion dollars worth of development for Melbourne’s Fishermans Bend, including three multi-residential projects that will deliver about 1958 new apartments to the urban renewal area.
60-82 Johnson Street, 228- Normanby Road and 101 Salmon Street were all approved by Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne on 22 May, a decision welcomed by Rothelowman architects who are responsible for the designs of the Johnson Street and Normandy Road projects.
“We commend the Planning Minister for making a decision that will see much needed housing stock delivered to the market in the volume required," says Rothelowman Managing Principal, Nigel Hobart.
“Johnson Street is the product of more than two years’ work, the project has been an ongoing exercise in collaboration and its approval is a testament to the combined efforts of the State’s Planning Office, Port Phillip Council, Metro Planning Authority, Maxvic and Rothelowman.”
Johnson Street has been reduced by planning since its first proposal, from 1600 apartments to 1276 apartments, and will be built across four towers ranging from 21 to 46 levels. The towers will sit on an integrated podium that will include a double height 'Village Hall' that will provide community amenity and a supermarket at ground level.
Normandy Road comprises two apartment towers, convex in form and completely glazed, that will add 525 apartments to the Montague Precinct in Fishermans Bend. The towers will rise 164 metres and 132 metres from a common podium which will include 243 car parking spaces, 242 bicycle bays and a retail ground floor.
The Salmon Street project is the smallest of the three and has been designed by Carabott Holt Turcinov architects. The singular building will rise to a 37 metre roof height and comprise 157 dwellings. 101 Salmon Street is much smaller than the Rothelowman buildings and is the first major project to be approved in the Wirraway Precinct. The building is wrapped by commercial and residential space to cleverly hide the ground level parking.
On the Minister’s approval of the projects, Hobart says that the decision will ease the pressure on established subjects as Melbourne’s urban crawl continues.
“As the largest urban renewal site in the country, Fishermans Bend is conducive to this level of density,” he says.
“It is developments such as those approved for Johnston Street and Normanby Road that will take expansionary pressure off established suburbs and curb urban sprawl.”
Images Rothelowman and Carabott Holt Turcinov.
