Three bedrooms aplenty in new middle ring Essendon development

Three bedrooms aplenty in new middle ring Essendon development
Alastair TaylorApril 3, 2018

Parkside Constructions is seeking planning approval from the City of Moonee Valley for a 6 level, 28-unit apartment building on the palm-tree laden strip of Mt Alexander Road in Essendon.

MAP Architecture head up the design team for the proposal located at 1032-1036 Mt Alexander Road which would see near 50% of the units in the development have 3 bedrooms - there are only 2 x 1 bedroom apartments accounted for in the plans currently advertised.

In fact, the entire project is heavily weighted toward large to very large apartments - there are 13 x 3 bedrooms and 13 x 2 bedrooms.

The smallest of the 2 bedroom configurations weighs in at 89 square metres in total with the majority designed to have more than 100 square metres.  All 3 bedroom apartments have been designed to have over 100 square metres of space in them with many in the 115-135 square metre range.

The 1133 square metre site has a single frontage of 26.22 metres to Mt Alexander Road and the scale of the proposal has good company with this stretch of Mt Alexander Road covered on Urban.com.au many times in the past.

Three bedrooms aplenty in new middle ring Essendon development
1032-1036 Mt Alexander Road, Essendon. Planning image: MAP Architecture

What they say

The proposal provides for a contemporary building with a high level of architectural appeal that will enhance the appearance of the Mount Alexander Road Corridor.

This will be achieved through the use of varied design details, high levels of glazing, curvilinear wall forms for upper levels and high quality finishes.

Despite not incorporating commercial land uses at ground level, the proposal provides an active interface with Mount Alexander Road as a result providing various balconies and windows facing the public realm coupled with low level front fencing and vegetation across the front elevation. Further it is submitted that apartment LG.01 has been designed to allow easy conversion into a home office. The building will be well articulated and responds to the adjoining style and form of development in the area.

The siting, massing and appearance of the buildings and works is consistent with the evolving streetscape of Mount Alexander Road. The proposed development will not be adjacent to any heritage buildings

1032-1036 Mt Alexander Road, Essendon, Urban Context Report

The proposal would see many apartments have views over Allison Park which sits is located to the rear of the site with architectural plans showing the two rear ground floor apartments having gated access to the park.

1032-1036 Mt Alexander Road like many other projects along the same stretch of Mt Alexander Road benefit from the 59 tram line running past the front door.  Essendon station is a 900 metre / 10 minute walk.

The project joins Sturt Street Parque on the Urban.com.au project database in this specific area.  South of the railway line & Essendon station there are six further projects, two of which are under construction.

1032-1036 Mt Alexander Road is being assessed by the City of Moonee Valley.

Development Team List:

Alastair Taylor

Alastair Taylor is a co-founder of Urban.com.au. Now a freelance writer, Alastair focuses on the intersection of public transport, public policy and related impacts on medium and high-density development.

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