Overview

Learn about draft Melbourne Planning Scheme Amendment C408melb and planning permit PA2101202, which is a proposed combined permit and amendment under Division 5 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. The draft permit and amendment apply to land at 86-96 Stubbs Street, Kensington.

Draft amendment C408melb proposes to make the Minister for Planning the responsible authority for administering planning permit PA2101202 for ‘Assemble Kensington’, which proposes the use and development of an eight-storey building comprising dwellings (including affordable housing), office, food and drink premises, and a reduction in car parking requirements.

What the draft amendment does

The Amendment proposes to facilitate the assessment, approval, and administration of the ‘Assemble Kensington’ proposal.

Specifically, the Amendment proposes to amend the Schedule to Clause 72.01 to make the Minister for Planning the responsible authority for administering planning permit PA2101202 for land at 86-96 Stubbs Street, Kensington and any matters required by planning permit PA2101202 to be endorsed, approved, or done to the satisfaction of the responsible authority.

What the permit seeks

Planning permit PA2101202 seeks to allow the use and development of the land for the construction of an eight-storey building (with one basement level) comprising dwellings and office, a reduction in car parking requirements, and associated works at 86-96 Stubbs Street, Kensington.

The proposed development is known as ‘Assemble Kensington’.

Specifically, the development proposal consists of:

• Demolition and removal of all existing buildings, structures, and trees.
• Construction of an eight-storey building (with one basement level below) containing:
  • Basement level to be used primarily for car/motorcycle parking, cycle parking, storage cages, and services.
  • Ground floor level to be used as office, food and drink premises, one visitor dwelling, communal purposes ancillary to the dwellings, open space, as well as other services such as bicycle parking, site access (vehicle and pedestrian), and waste storage.
  • First to seventh floors to contain 198 residential dwellings, including 32 x studios, 25 x 1-beds, 104 x 2-beds and 38 x 3-beds.
  • Roof level to contain communal spaces, including a futsal court, pet zone and vegetable garden, as well as plant, air conditioning condensers and solar photovoltaic panels
• 96 car parking spaces, 8 motorcycle spaces, 434 bicycle spaces and 53 storage cages
• A requirement for a minimum of 70% of dwellings to be ‘affordable housing’ to households with a ‘moderate income households range’ in accordance with the definitions in the Planning and Environment Act 1987, up until the point of sale for each individual dwelling.

Consultation

Before making a decision about whether to proceed with the proposed amendment and permit, the Minister for Planning is undertaking consultation under section 20(5) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to understand the views of certain parties and to inform the drafting of both the amendment and permit.

Following the consultation period, the Minister may decide to refer this matter to the Priority Projects Standing Advisory Committee for further advice before making a decision about whether to prepare, adopt and approve the amendment and permit. If you make a submission, you will be informed if the matter is referred to the Committee.

Background

The Minister for Planning has received a request from the Assemble Group to facilitate the proposal through the recently established Development Facilitation Program.The Victorian Government has identified Victoria’s building and construction sector as a key mechanism to revitalise Victoria’s economy during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Development Facilitation Program was established by the Minister following the success of the Building Victoria’s Recovery Taskforce Priority Project Fast-Track pilot program to speed up the assessment and determination of identified priority projects that deliver investment into the Victorian economy, keep people in jobs, and provide a substantial public benefit.