Box Hill developments to push CBD to new heights
IT will soon be home to more than 10 of Melbourne’s tallest buildings outside of the CBD, so why is Box Hill a mecca for developers?
East
Don't miss out on the headlines from East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Box Hill to get 36-storey building
- Box Hill’s height of ambition
- Council overturns tower decision
- Car park sells for $51 million
BOX Hill is on track to become Melbourne’s second CBD and, with at least seven sites approved for 20 storeys or more, developers are not holding back.
While no building in the suburb will come close to the height of skyscrapers such as Eureka Tower and the Rialto, Box Hill will be home to some of the tallest buildings outside of the city.
There are seven sites in Box Hill that have approved planning applications for 20 storeys or more, with one completed — the Australian Taxation Office building — and two more under construction — Whitehorse Towers and Sky One, which will be the tallest building in Box Hill when completed, standing at a whopping 123m.
The other approvals are the former Spotlight site at 845-851 Whitehorse Rd that will have three towers of 117m, 94m, and 57m.
A 30-storey development has been given the green light at 820 Whitehorse Rd, while a 78m mixed-use development at 9-11 Prospect St has also been endorsed.
Central Park, a 20-storey mixed-use apartment complex at 12-14 Nelson Rd, has also been approved.
Whitehorse city development manager Jeff Green said central Box Hill was suitable for high-rise developments.
“These buildings have been centred within the Box Hill Metropolitan Activity Centre, and are largely located within that area identified within the Box Hill transit activity centre structure plan as being able to accommodate higher rise buildings,” Mr Green said.
He said the council was still considering another four applications for buildings of more than 20 storeys in height.
They are for a mixed-use development of 23 storeys at 702-706 Station St, a residential hotel development of 25 storeys at 874-878 Whitehorse Rd, a mixed-use development of 30 storeys at 34-36 Prospect St, and another at 826-834 Whitehorse Rd between 28-30 storeys in height.
Mr Green said Plan Melbourne — the State Government’s metropolitan planning strategy — identified Box Hill as one of two Metropolitan Activity Centres in the eastern suburbs.
“A key part of the vision of Plan Melbourne is to realise a ‘20-minute neighbourhood’ which advocates for living locally within convenient access to services, public transport and recreation facilities, Mr Green said.
“Based on the State Government policy context for Box Hill, which has been in place for several decades, the Whitehorse Planning Scheme identifies Box Hill as a Metropolitan Activity Centre, and implements the outcomes of the Box Hill Transit Activity Centre Structure Plan 2007 via zoning, overlays and local planning policy.”
The council is in the midst of seeking community consultation on Amendment C175 of the Whitehorse Planning Scheme which will provide guidance on the built form and environment in key areas of Box Hill, including height limits.
The council will be holding a drop-in information session today in the Whitehorse Room at the Box Hill Town Hall between 4pm and 7pm to discuss the draft guidelines.
The guidelines and Amendment C175 are on public exhibition until Friday, March 17, and submissions must be made before then.
Click HERE to read the guidelines.
‘White Australia’ fundraiser raises $27k in just eight days
A crowd-funding page created by a controversial neo-Nazi figure has raised more than $27,000 to help “create a home for white people in Australia”.
Like a dame: Lilydale property up for heritage protection
A historic Lilydale home with links to renowned opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, is up for heritage protection, as the hills strengthen its links with the famed opera singer.