A $1.15 billion plan to transform a Melbourne carpark into a new six-tower multi-use precinct is now in the hands of the Victorian planning department following its approval from Melbourne City Council.

Cox Architecture are leading the design for the mega-precinct which will consist of six-towers—four residential, one hotel and one commercial tower—ranging in height from 145 metres up to 226 metres.

The address is 93-119 Kavanagh Street, Southbank but the site but the site is boxed in by Balston, McGowan and Power Streets. It is within eyeshot of Prima Tower, designed by Disegno Australia and the Crown Casino which has plans to receive a $1.5 billion, 90-storey hotel and apartment complex to be designed by British firm Wilkinson Eyre. Although Cox’s towers are significantly above the former discretionary height control of 100 metres, they have been accepted by City of Melbourne who says they don’t dominant the neighbourhood skyline.

Image: Google Earth

The Kavanagh Street development will accommodate 2,610 apartments, 10,090sqm (including supermarket) of retail space, 894 car spaces (nominal), 7,000sqm of pedestrianised open space (consisting of 910sqm park with deep soil, 1,860sqm of raised open space, a 975 piazza and internal laneways.

If the masterplan is approved, the project will then be divided into five portions, all of which will undergo their own DA process and will be delivered in stages. Stage 1 will see the two central residential towers with a shared podium developed, along with a supermarket, food court, retail space and a childcare centre. Stage 2 will be the strata office commercial tower (also with a retail podium) while stages 3 and 4 will be the remaining residential towers. The hotel and serviced apartment tower will be delivered in the final stage.

Apart from the two central residential towers, all the towers have their own activated podium and will have generous setbacks and a low plot ratio of 18:1.

All images courtesy of Cox Architecture unless stated.

Nathan Johnson

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