COPP's take on Fishermans Bend's tallest proposal
60-82 Johnston Street South Melbourne was reported on by Urban.com.au during August last year and at the time we thought it to be Fishermans Bend's tallest proposed development. Indeed dual 181 metre residential towers headline the massive development, which is in excess of City of Port Phillip's Montague Precinct Structure Plan preferred height of 100m.
Final planning approval lies with the State Government however and as this project falls within an area of no prescribed height limit, it's considered to meet the State's Urban Renewal Area Draft Vision. Therefore City of Port Phillip's planning department earlier in the year handed down their decision on the project.
It is recommended that Council advise the Minister for Planning that it supports the application in principle and that, in the event that the Minister determines to grant a permit for this application, some refinements are necessary and further details need to be provided in relation to dwelling ratios, car parking, building heights and setbacks, sustainable design, pedestrian paths, landscaping and bicycle parking.
Project Overview
- Developer - MAXVIC (Vicland Property Group & Maxcon)
- Builder - Maxcon
- Architect - Rothe Lowman
- Applicant/consultancy - Meinhardt
- Two 54L towers at 181m. One 28L tower at 95m. One 22L tower at 76m
- 1600 apartments, 1067 car spaces, 51 motorcycle spaces and 500 bicycle spaces
- 1,682.4 m2 of retail floorspace, 18 two-storey home-office apartments
- 1,785.9 m² of community "Village Hall' facilities and a Supermarket at ground level
COPP Amendments
Amongst the list of requested amendments, COPP planners have included the following:
- Deletion of the Village Hall.
- Reduce the number of car parking spaces for residents to 0.5 spaces per dwelling
- Significantly decrease the percentage of single bedroom dwellings and significantly increase the percentage of three or more bedroom dwellings
- Specify and accommodate affordable (social) housing. Universally accessible dwellings suitable for persons with limited mobility, and adaptable dwellings.
- Expand the public realm at street level to create open space to adequately provide for pedestrian and bicycle movement, seating, landscape treatment, and passive recreational opportunity.
- Provide an Urban Art contribution
- Relocate bicycle facilities to ground level and increase the bicycle parking ratio in accordance with the Interim Fishermans Bend Design Guidelines
- Provide a car share scheme on the site.
Activated Podium
Images show the project's lower levels to be of the highest calibre. Whilst Rothe Lowman have designed a flowing structure that speaks well with its surrounds, Aspect Studios have incorporated greenery over every level culminating in a multifaceted rooftop communal garden.
The result is a stunning podium design that is flowing, interesting, undulating and heavily activated over the initial few levels. If this podium quality is replicated elsewhere in Fishermans Bend, it will be one important step (albeit just one) in ensuring the built form environment is a quantum leap ahead of many parts of Docklands.
Those behind 60-82 Johnston Street, like all other Fishermans Bend development proponents have yet to learn the fate of their projects, as the State Government readies final structure plans for the area.