Anthony Koutoufides running mate Intaj Khan had tower plans in same area he wants to boost height limits

A would-be deputy mayor, running with Anthony Koutoufides, had applied to build a high rise in the same area he is campaigning to increase building height limits.

A would-be deputy mayor, running with Anthony Koutoufides, is campaigning to supercharge building height limits in an area where he had been seeking approval for a $75 million development.

Intaj Khan, who is on a joint ticket with the former Carlton star, has outlined his plans for more high-density living in West Melbourne, saying it will help developers build “affordable housing”.

While Mr Khan’s development company Countryland Australia last week listed a 23-storey tower in West Melboune as “on planning”, the entrepeneur this weekend insisted the project had been “withdrawn”, adding that he saw no issue if the land’s value soared due to height limits changes.

Anthony Koutoufides with Intaj Khan who will be running for deputy Lord Mayor. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Voting for Melbourne Council’s Lord mayoral tickets and councillors closes on October 25, with one secret poll done for a candidate suggesting that Mr Koutoufides and Mr Khan could topple the teams of incumbent mayor Nick Reece and high profile candidate Arron Wood.

In his only in-depth interview of the campaign, conducted with the Herald Sun earlier this month, Mr Khan detailed that one of his key priorities, if elected, would be to allow taller towers across the CBD and inner city, and explicitly referenced West Melbourne, where there are currently limited to 16 storeys under a 2018 structure plan.

“To buy land (in West Melbourne) is $3000 to $4000 per square metre compared to the city, you pay $18,000. In order to change the planning system, the zoning system, it will allow land developers to spend more, to choose West Melbourne, North Melbourne and go high rise. Because it’s cheap, you can make affordable housing,” he said.

When asked if he had any projects that would benefit from the changed zoning, he replied: “I don’t have any projects, I used to have, but I would not do any project, not in the CBD.

“All my projects are outside the CBD, in the western suburbs. They are land subdivisions. I would not have any conflict of interest. I

The proposed apartment development Intaj Khan’s development company had applied to build in West Melbourne. Picture: KUD Architects

Council documents reveal Countryland, which is also the registered owner of the domain name for the website teamkouta.com.au, sought approval for the $75m Khan Waterfall Tower on March 5, 2021.

The City of Melbourne rejected the plan, which would have included a waterfall similar to the famous facade at the National Gallery of Victoria, on May 30, 2023, with the proposal attracting 168 objections.

Mr Khan had purchased the 820sqm of land which the development was planned to sit on near Flagstaff Gardens for $3.6 million in 2013.

And despite the tower being knocked back, it was still listed this week as “on planning” on Countryland Australia’s website.

Adding to the intrigue, one of the key members of Team Kouta’s campaign team – prominent development consultant Russell Joseph – also declared Countryland Australia as a client of his company Strategic Policy Advice Victoria on the state’s lobbyists register on June 23, 2024.

The Herald Sun asked Mr Khan on Saturday to clarify his comments about the Jeffcott Street building, given its status listing on Countryland Australia’s site.

Former Wyndham councillor and Melton property developer Intaj Khan said he didn’t see a problem if land value soared in West Melbourne. Picture: Ian Currie

He said the application had been “withdrawn” and would not proceed.

“We did apply for planning permission but we’ve withdrawn, it will not go ahead,” Mr Khan said.

When asked if the value of the land would increase if height limits were raised in West Melbourne, he said: “The whole area would be revalued, all those people who own properties. It’s our democratic right to apply to go on council.”

Mr Khan, who came to Australia from India as a student in 1998, has become an influential figure in Melbourne, with Countryland being involved in property developments worth $250m.

His election to Wyndham Council in Melbourne’s west in 2016 was reported in the Times of India.

He is understood to have bankrolled about $500,000 of spending on Mr Koutoufides’ election campaign, including three direct mailouts costing almost $150,000 each.

Mr Khan, a father of five, has also created headlines for his breathtaking Tarneit home, which is currently being built and has become known locally as the “Intaj-Mahal”.

The property, on 10 acres, includes 16 bedrooms, a $500,000 pool, facilities for horses and plans for a drone landing pad.

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Originally published as Anthony Koutoufides running mate Intaj Khan had tower plans in same area he wants to boost height limits