Melbourne's 200 metre club bursting at the seams

If one statistic brings into focus Melbourne's current development boom, it's this one; since Rialto's completion heralding Melbourne's first 200 metre plus tower in 1986, a total of six towers beyond 200 metres (not including antennas) have been built in the proceeding 28 years.

Melbourne right now has 23 towers beyond 200 metres ranging from proposed to under construction.

It's a gobsmacking figure representative of a perfect storm of circumstances both locally and abroad which based upon the evidence at hand will see the vast majority of these proposals delivered, rather than land banked or onsold. Counted within the ranks of the 23 listed below are four towers of 300 metres or greater, propelling Melbourne in the the ranks of other global cities with 'Supertall' towers.

The 200 metre plus tower list as of August 2014

All projects above include a residential component, with no purely commercial towers included. On that front QIC's 80 Collins Street comes closest with an overall height of 187 metres.

Given there are always minor fluctuations in apartment numbers per project, the above list would pump in the vicinity of 15,700 apartments or near on 30,000 permanent residents into the City of Melbourne. Factor in the thousands of hotel suites which are included within 10 of the 23 proposals and the transient population figure also rises sharply.

One image says it all

Below is a marketing image for ICD Property's EQ Tower located at 127 A'Beckett Street. If the opening Rialto statistic brings the matter into focus, the below image provides a visual aid as to the rapidly evolving nature of Melbourne's skyline.

In addition to EQ Tower, no less that 14 other towers of 200 metres or more would be visible in some way, excluding those already completed. A healthy number of these towers are located within the CBD's northern reaches surrounding EQ Tower; testament to the sudden explosion of apartments loosely surrounding Victoria Market.

Future towers on the radar

Listed on Melbourne-based Altus Development's website is a forthcoming scheme fo A'Beckett Street. With an expected value of $395 million, the proposal will hold a nominal 1125 apartments and hotel suites.

On the high ground of Melbourne’s CBD and close to its famed premier universities, hospitals, parks and cosmopolitan nightlife of the city’s northern precinct will rise a magnificent tower. Comprising 900 residential apartments, a 4-star hotel and dining this development represents unparalleled growth opportunities. Central to key Melbourne destinations and exceptionally well-served by public transport and arterials, it is a foremost opportunity.

Altus Development: Melbourne Developments

Elsewhere Fragrance Group's 555 Collins Street has been reported as seeking a height of 305 metres AHD in an all-commercial development, although this will be confirmed when the relevant planning application is submitted. The good oil also suggests that Fragrance Group's Savoy Tavern site on Spencer Street and PJ Development Holdings' Kavanagh car park site on Southbank will also (very) comfortably exceed the 200 metre barrier.

Of course there are also those projects which arise unbeknown to the greater public, but for the immediate future it seems likely the number of 200 metre plus proposals will slow as developers seek to materialise the many projects listed above.