The glut of high-rise apartments being constructed across Melbourne, which risks morphing the CBD into “high-rise ghost town”, is set to worsen, with planning minister, Matthew Guy, approving the Southern Hemisphere’s tallest habitable tower – a 319-metre, 100 storey, residential skyscraper – according to The AFR.
The apartment tower will reportedly include 1,105 apartments and a “good mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments that will bring diverse household types into this central city location” that will be “the most striking building on Melbourne’s skyline” according to Guy.
At the same time, the planning minister approved two more large towers in Melbourne’s CBD: a 241-metre, 75 storey, 622 apartment tower in Elizabeth Street and a 185-metre, 54 storey, 295 apartment tower in Southbank.
Singaporean developer Aspial, is also reportedly pursuing another 248 metres, 82 storey, skyscraper with 750 apartments in A’Beckett Street.
I personally have no issue with this kind of development in Melbourne. Apartment building represents a type of “export” industry for Victoria, given many high-rise developments are now targeted at foreign investors rather than local buyers.
These types of developments should also provide Melbournians with greater rental options at lower cost – another clear benefit.
It is, however, a shame that the Victorian Government plans to permanently fix Melbourne’s urban growth boundary, whilst preventing intensification in many suburban areas. The end outcome of such an approach is to limit new housing choice to an expensive CBD highrise apartment or an expensive postage stamp-sized lot on the fringe.
With the government intent on maintaining a strong immigration program, Melbourne, and Australia more generally, will need to grow both up and out, if it is to provide its citizens with greater housing choice at reasonable cost.
