Mont Albert: High rise hotel planned on corner next to Box Hill Institute

It’s a tiny carpark which was set to make way for more apartments. But plans to transform this Whitehorse corner site are heading in a new direction.

A carpark next to a Box Hill TAFE could be in for a $46.4m overhaul, with plans to put a cooking school, shops and a luxury hotel in its place.

Plans have been switched up for the 16-storey complex planned at 813-823 Whitehorse Rd in Mont Albert, on the corner of Elgar Rd and next door to the Box Hill Institute’s campus.

VCAT approved a permit for 89 apartments, retail and office space and basement carparking to applicant Doyen Tower Pty Ltd in October 2017.

However, changes were submitted to Whitehorse Council by a new applicant, APH Holding, in August this year and were advertised on September 9 for two weeks.

The plans include a 209-room hotel across nine-storeys, with retail and educational space below it, and three levels of underground parking with 199 car and bike spots.

A planning report compiled by town planners ProUrban said function spaces, meeting rooms and a potential day spa had also been included to support the main uses of the site.

It said the culinary school, planned for levels two to four, aimed to “provide further education within the hospital and the western TAFE precinct” of Box Hill’s activity centre and room for up to 200 students.

ProUrban’s document also referred to the development of land at 811 Whitehorse Rd as part of APH Holding’s project.

An application was lodged by another developer, Australia 888 Group Pty Ltd, in 2019 to build offices and 36 apartments across 13 storeys on the site of the Miss Korea restaurant.

The council’s director of city development, Jeff Green, said no submissions were received for 813-823 Whitehorse Rd during the advertising period and it was yet to determine a time frame for a decision.

APH Holding were contacted for comment.