Chapel St Blackburn: 170 apartments planned near Pace, former Leader offices

More high rise development could be on the way in Melbourne’s leafy east, with plans for a huge apartment block near a well-known luxury car dealership.

An artist's impression of the proposed development at 1-7 Chapel St in Blackburn, from nearby Railway Rd. Picture: Extract from planning documents.

Blackburn is set for another apartments boost with plans lodged for two high rise towers to compliment an existing major development under construction on the suburb’s front doorstep.

The site owners of 1-7 Chapel St have lodged plans for a residential transformation involving two towers reaching up to nine storeys, to be filled with more than 170 apartments.

The site is home to the three-level One Chapel Street office complex, formerly home to Leader Community News, and is next to Blackburn’s Lexus car dealership on the corner of Whitehorse Rd.

It is also next to the four tower Pace of Blackburn development, set to be home to more than 260 apartments.

Apartment towers are being proposed around the One Chapel Street office complex in Blackburn. Picture: Kiel Egging.

The proposed development at 1-7 Chapel St, Blackburn as viewed from Whitehorse Rd. It will be built around an existing three-level office complex, previously home to Leader Community News. Picture: Extract from planning documents.

According to plans submitted to Whitehorse Council, the site owners plans to keep the offices and build two apartment towers around it, largely covering an existing carpark.

The towers will contain 173 apartments, while a residential garden space at street level, more commercial office space and underground parking is also planned.

“This proposal will make a significant contribution to the Blackburn experience and creates a memorable impression on visitors and locals alike,” architects Jackson Clements Burrows wrote in planning documents.

“The proposed building is an exemplary piece of contemporary architecture intended to make a valuable contribution to Railway Rd.”

More than 170 apartments across two buildings are planned at 1-7 Chapel St, as viewed from Railway Ave. Picture: Extract from planning documents.

Consultants ProUrban, on behalf of the applicant, stated that the proposed development provided “an opportunity to bring an under-utilised site with considerable frontage to life.

“The proposed development provides a considerable net community benefit by complementing not only the (Blackburn) railway station but also nearby retail, entertainment and commercial facilities and reinforcing the social, economic, environmental and cultural viability of the Blackburn Activity Centre,” they wrote.

Whitehorse Council’s director of city development, Jeff Green, said three objections had been received so far for the application, which will remain publicly advertised for another two weeks.

Mr Green said a decision on granting a permit would be made after the public advertising period closed.

An artist’s impression of the Pace of Blackburn precinct. File picture.

The plans at 1-7 Chapel St come as the Pace of Blackburn precinct next door at 80 Railway Rd nears completion.

The site will boast four towers, three of which will contain more than 260 apartments.

Office space is slated for the other tower, along with ground floor retail along Whitehorse Rd including a Foodworks supermarket.