First stage of East Brunswick Village to open in February as suburb prepares for change

After more than a decade in planning, finishing touches are now being placed on 603 new apartments making up East Brunswick Village. Along with a supermarket, gym and microbrewery, here’s what else is planned.

How an apartment building above Coles will look in the East Brunswick Village.

Striking a balance between those who will live inside it and what exists outside has formed the mantra of a mini-suburb in Brunswick East.

Cranes have filled the East Brunswick Village skyline at 127-149 Nicholson St while the former factory site is transformed into a shopping hub and home for more than 1500 residents.

Plans for 603 two and three-bedroom apartments across 10 buildings were first ticked off by Moreland Council in 2015.

But the exact number of apartments may change as the designs for the final buildings continue.

The view from Nicholson St as construction continues. Picture: Ellen Smith

A Coles supermarket, gym and microbrewery are among the 15 businesses touted for the 3.1ha space.

Residents will tend to rooftop gardens, while the village will be designed for pedestrians and built around green spaces.

The main shopping strip is planned to mirror European style shopping, with diners mingled with shoppers under greenery.

The site is being developed by Banco Group and its director Mario Lo Giudice said the project was designed to foster community.

“At the core of EBV design philosophy is the objective to knit this substantial redevelopment

site to the existing fabric of the surrounding community,” he said.

“It’s going to be full of lovely, green spaces where people can take a walk and enjoy

spending time … and it’s going to be a place for the whole community to come and spend time, and that’s been part of our vision from the get-go.”

How a main walkway is planned to appear in the completed village.

RMIT University Associate Professor Andrew Butt said anchoring the village with retail such as the supermarket could allow it to thrive.

“Brunswick East doesn’t have a high degree of retail locally … this is probably a positive contribution if the services in the whole area are available to match it,” he said.

The suburb as already been forced to adapt to the project, with residents winning street closures at Sumner and Peers streets from Nicholson St to curb potential traffic.

Rooftops have city views.

Professor Butt said the Route 96 tram that travels along Nicholson St could be hit hard by the population increase.

“We should support this kind of development where we can but we should be asking for services that match that growth, we should be concerning ourselves with issues like open space and green space,” he said.

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The 2300sq m of communal space and greenery inside EBV was tailored by permaculturalist Dan Palmer, who runs Very Edible Gardens in Brunswick.

Mr Palmer said he saw a chance to change development in the future by shaping the nature inside the village.

“I’ve been given a bunch of large spaces and told to go nuts, I’ve even been able to move walls to fit to my needs,” he said.

Mr Lo Giudice said the first stage of the village was on track to be completed in February.