Box Hill Central: Vicinity Centres’ record breaking 51-storey tower set for approval

The tallest tower outside of Melbourne’s CBD is set to get ticked off as part of a massive shopping precinct upgrade. See how high it will go.

Vicinity Centres’ $683m Box Hill Central redevelopment will be voted on by Whitehorse councillors on May 23. File picture.

The tallest tower outside of Melbourne’s CBD is set to get the green light as part of a massive transformation of a shopping precinct in the heart of booming Box Hill.

Vicinity Centres’ $683m overhaul of Box Hill Central, which includes a 51-storey residential, office and retail tower, will be discussed by Whitehorse councillors at its meeting on Monday, May 23.

Officers have recommended approving three separate permits for the shopping centre giant’s plans at 17-21 Market St, first announced in May 2020 as part of a 10-year redevelopment plan.

They include revitalised public spaces including a covered urban plaza, a 27-storey office tower, and the 51-storey complex with hundreds of apartments.

The complex would dwarf Box Hill’s existing tallest building, the 36-storey Sky One, if approved and built by 2030.

The council received a total of 40 objections to the three projects, with objectors raising issues with built form, amenity, traffic, parking and bicycle infrastructure and access.

However, officers are recommending approval of each project after assessing the concerns and the provisions of Whitehorse’s planning scheme.

Of note, they wrote the 51-storey tower was “consistent in the context of the site, responding to the site’s locational attributes and proposing a height that would sit comfortably within the Box Hill activity centre skyline”.

The plaza includes an area called ‘The Hill’ which includes staggered steps covered by an all-weather purposed shelter, and has been described as “the new civic heart of Box Hill”.

It is seen as an evolution of the Spanish step-styled amphitheatre proposed in Vicinity’s original plans.

New walkways and roads would also be created to connect the precinct’s offerings.

Vicinity, which also owns Chadstone and The Glen, is already redesigning the southern end of the existing Box Hill Central shopping centre, away from the proposed development area.

The works have included a new entrance from Carrington St, amenities upgrades and new retailers including Chemist Warehouse and Daiso.

A new Coles Supermarket and dining outlets are set to open later in the year.