Eastlakes Live: Council to have say on updated 500-unit proposal

After years of planning, a developer is now asking for nearly 500 apartments to be built on the site of the current Eastlakes Shopping Centre. Bayside Council will meet this week to have its final say on the latest changes to the proposal.

Artist impression of what the new centre could look like.

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Bayside Council will have its final say on the latest proposal for the huge Eastlakes Live development this week – which seeks to replace the current Eastlakes Shopping Centre with a new centre and almost 500 apartments.

Developer Crown Group was given approval in 2013 to knock down Eastlakes Shopping Centre and build 405 apartments in buildings up to seven-storeys tall as well as create a new town and shopping centre.

Crown Group was given further approval in 2018 to increase the size of the development to 425 apartments and construction has now begun on the northern part of the site.

The Eastlakes Live development site which is broken into a north and south site. The current Eastlakes shopping centre stands on the south site.

Despite the increase, the developer has sought further changes to the huge development, including more apartments and taller buildings.

Crown Group is now asking for a total of 492 units to be housed in buildings up to 12 storeys (or 60m). If the latest modifications are given the green light, the increase in apartments will be added to the southern part of the site.

The latest proposal (known as MOD 4) has been scaled back in size during recent years following negative feedback including from the council.

Proposed layout of the five buildings on the south site.

The tallest proposed buildings looking from Eastlakes Reserve.

Bayside Council will meet on Wednesday and provide feedback on Crown Group’s final response to submissions report. The council anticipates this will be its last opportunity to provide feedback to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment about the proposal.

The Department of Planning or Independent Planning Commission will then have final say on whether Crown Group can go ahead with the modified plans and increase the size of the state significant development.

Bayside Council has provided feedback previously on the MOD 4 proposal highlighting in particular that a lack of public transport options in Eastlakes meant the proposal was considered “premature”.

Meanwhile, Bayside Council is currently in the process of finalising an Eastlakes Local Town Centre Masterplan which will set the council’s vision for development in the Eastlakes area.