Since our earlier update, agreement was reached between the developer, City of Port Phillip (Council) and other parties at a VCAT compulsory conference last week.
The development has been approved without the sixth level (a roof terrace), and with levels 3 and 4 shifted east by 0.5m and no western terrace on level 3.
The entrances to the supermarket and to the apartments remain unchanged. That is, the entrance to the supermarket will be from the north and to the apartments from the south. Concerns about the safety of cyclists and pedestrians on the eastern side will be resolved separately between Council and the developer.
The BCNA has been urging that Yarra Trams undertakes tram track duplication work at the same time as the build at 103 Beach Street. This will minimise the disruption to traffic and residents. This is not yet agreed. The BCNA will be advocating that this occurs with the Hon. Nina Taylor, MP, Yarra Trams, and the City of Port Phillip.
The development will comprise twenty-two apartments and a supermarket on the ground floor. The developer has stated that the basement will only have one level rather than two. The electricity substation will be relocated from the laneway to the northern side. The developer plans to move pile driving equipment onto the site this month with work starting in mid-January. Soil removal and piling will take eight weeks, and the build is expected to take 13 months with less than four months of traffic disruptions. An image of the proposed building is shown below.
Volunteers will be delivering the latest BCNA newsletter to local residences over the coming days. This issue includes news on:
I'f you'd like an electronic version, you can download it here.
The developer has decided to appeal the City of Port Phillip’s approval granted on 28 July 2022. Details were provided earlier.
The developer is contesting many of the conditions Council attached to the planning approval and suggesting amendments to others. The conditions being contested include:
The BCNA is keen to see the site redeveloped and considers it vital that it includes a supermarket on the ground floor. Our concerns have been about height and overshadowing of the public realm including the shared cycling paths and Bay Trail to the south; that there was no entrance to the supermarket from the south side; and the importance of sufficient car parking in the northern car park. The BCNA has been an objector about these issues.
VCAT has scheduled a compulsory conference for 7 December 2022 and a Hearing in March 2023.
The City of Port Phillip (CoPP) decided on proposed plans by Carr architects on behalf of Luxcon for this site at its Planning Committee meeting on Thursday 28 July.
CoPP officers recommended that the proposed plans for a five-storey building be approved subject to a number of amendments. These included:
Gateway Ward Councillors (Heather Cunsolo, Marcus Pearl, and Peter Martin) supported the redevelopment and the CoPP officers' recommended amendments, but added additional amendments that would further reduce the bulk of the building, ensuring it is perceived as a five-storey building not a six-storey building, and reduce overshadowing of the public realm. Councillor approved amendments included:
The BCNA is keen to see the site redeveloped and considers it vital that it includes a supermarket on the ground floor. Our concerns have been about height and overshadowing of the public realm including the cycling paths and Bay Trail to the south; that there was no entrance to the supermarket from the south side; and the importance of sufficient car parking in the northern car park.
The impact of CoPP's changes is to reduce the height and bulk of the building and overshadowing of the public realm. It will also make the supermarket more accessible to visitors on the southern side of the building.
The permit applicant has 60 days to appeal CoPP's decision to VCAT.
Members will be aware of BCNA input into the planning process for both 1-7 Waterfront Place and 103 Beach Street (the former food store).
The developer for Waterfront Place (Action Australia Group) appealed to VCAT against the City of Port Phillip's (CoPP) conditions assigned with the granting of a permit for their most recent design. That matter was heard by VCAT in late March and recent communication from VCAT had indicated their decision would be forthcoming in late June. The BCNA has written to VCAT to request status of their deliberations.
With regard to 103 Beach Street, the developer (Luxcon) has a permit to build a 4 storey apartment building but has applied to the CoPP to vary the design to become 5 storeys with associated changes to configuration and parking. The matter will now be considered by the CoPP Planning Committee in late July.
The BCNA supports redevelopment in principle for both these properties but has concerns that both designs “push the envelope” in terms of overshadowing and community benefit. We continue to monitor these developments on behalf of members.
The current developer of this site (Luxcon) has approval from the City of Port Phillip (Council) to build a four storey building with one level of underground parking. As we highlighted in our last update, they are seeking a new permit to build to five storeys with two levels of underground parking.
BCNA Committee members recently participated in several meetings with Luxcon representatives.
The first meeting was convened by the Council to allow Q&A with the developer and residents. The Council is reviewing the latest application and will formally consider this shortly.
With regards to the proposed five story design, the BCNA has objected to the following attributes of the new application:
Demolition of the existing building is expected to start in June 2022. Once the design is finalised, the build is anticipated to take 12-16 months, with expectations to hit ground water at 2.5 meters. Because of this, there is anticipated to be several months of piling activity.
Revised plans for 103 Beach Street (which formerly was the Beacon Cove Foodstore) have recently been advertised by the City of Port Phillip (CoPP).
The main differences between this set of plans and the previously approved plans seem to be:
To view the revised planning application you will have to follow the following steps (CoPP have changed their website and direct links no longer seem to work):
The due date for submissions about these revised plans is 21 March 2022. Submissions can be made from the web page you have got to above (ie after following the first four steps).
Submissions will still be able to be made after this date until the time that the City of Port Phillip makes a decision on the application. Decisions can be made by council officers if 15 or fewer objections are made, otherwise council officers prepare a report for the councillors and the councillors will vote on the application at a council planning meeting.
The BCNA is examining the plans and is looking for feedback from the community to help inform BCNA position on this proposal so please contact us at secretary@beaconcove.org.au if you have any comments.
The BCNA regularly meets Gateway Ward Councillors to discuss issues of mutual interest. At our meeting on 8 November with the Mayor, Marcus Pearl, and Councillors Cunsolo and Martin we discussed:
Since our last update, the developers have finalised plans to submit to the City of Port Phillip (Council). The proposal is for an ‘up market’ five-level building comprising twenty-two apartments, a supermarket and café/bar on the ground floor, and two levels of basement parking.
The entrance to the supermarket will be from the car park on the north side. Height will increase to eighteen metres. There is no change to the footprint of the building. There is little change in overshadowing of the public realm at the September equinox (from the previously approved plans) but more at the June solstice.
The developer expects to submit plans to Council very soon. The plans will be advertised before being considered by Council. Ideally, the developer would like to commence construction early in January 2022. The construction phase is expected to take 18 months.
The BCNA welcomes development at this site. We would like the proposed tram line duplication to occur at the same time as construction, thereby minimising disruption to the community. The BCNA will work with the developer and Yarra Trams to promote this. The BCNA would also like to see more car parking spaces provided on the north side of the building. We will discuss this with Council.
The owners have undertaken to monitor and remove graffiti at the site when COVID restrictions allow.
As reported earlier this site has new owners. It has been bought by the Luxcon group.
The BCNA is hoping to meet representatives of the owners very soon to hear about the plans. We will pass on details as soon as possible.
This site has new owners.
The new owners are making some amendments to Council’s approved plans. The amendments include a third basement level. This will allow all loading/unloading to be handled on a basement level.
The new owners hope to commence construction later this year - construction is expected to take about 18 months. When more details are available, we will pass them on.
Volunteers are currently dropping copies of our newsletter in mailboxes throughout Beacon Cove. It covers a number of topics including:
To get it (in PDF form), click on this link. And please send it onto others in Beacon Cove who may not see our webpage or get the email notification.