Vivas Lend Lease Announces Plans For Major Redevelopment of Armadale Site

LEND LEASE ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF NEW ARMADALE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

Vivas Lend Lease today announced more details of their plan to redevelop the 2.5 hectare site at 590 Orrong Road, Armadale as a residential precinct.

Hugh Martin, Executive Director of Vivas Lend Lease said, “The development is proposed to include approximately 490 dwellings. This will range from 2 to 3 storey terrace-style homes, 7 – 9 storey boutique apartment buildings and larger apartment buildings ranging in height from 11 to 16 storeys with a maximum of 100 apartments.”

In developing the masterplan for the site, we have been very conscious of the need to create a new residential precinct in keeping with the quality and character of the Armadale area. For example, a feature of the current proposal is a wonderful new tree-lined avenue running through the property planted with feature trees, typical of leafy Armadale.

“Vivas Lend Lease is keen to deliver an exemplary new residential neighbourhood the Armadale community can be proud of. This attractive development is an important investment in the Armadale community, focussing on creating a vibrant place that will renew what has long been a locked off commercial part of Armadale.” he said.

The proposed apartment buildings have been designed and positioned in such a way to empathize with the surrounding area. This includes minimizing the appearance of these buildings from key vantage points in the immediate vicinity and limiting the development’s overshadowing of Toorak Park.

The development will create a new precinct that will enhance the existing atmosphere and create an experience and a community for residents and traders. It will restore a missing link between Toorak Park, Victory Square Reserve and Orrong Romanis Reserve supplementing these major community open spaces. It will also vastly improve pedestrian and cycle links to Toorak Station.

The apartments and townhouses will appeal to a wide cross section of purchasers, particularly empty nesters and aspiring empty nesters, who are downsizing, providing a wonderful opportunity to stay in their neighbourhood and remain close to family and friends.

In addition to catering for the empty nester market, Vivas Lend Lease’s proposal aims to provide apartments for young families and young professionals, filling a gap in the Armadale market that has seen many younger purchasers forced to buy elsewhere.

When announcing the property development last week, Mr Martin said this represents one of the most exciting inner Melbourne urban renewal opportunities in years, coupling an unprecedented number of benefits and amenities, such as expansive surrounding parkland and playing fields with the advantage of having Toorak train station and two tram lines within a short stroll. “This is a rare opportunity for such a large scale development located only 6km from Melbourne CBD.” he said.

“We are in the very formative stages of our thinking but have decided the time has come for us to announce the project, provide some very initial concepts and seek local community views on what we are proposing. We are keen to hear what the community has to say in order to be able to work with them. This open and transparent approach to the consultation process has been endorsed and encouraged by the Stonnington Council,” Mr Martin said A community information session is being held this evening at the Malvern Town Hall commencing at 6.00 pm.

Vivas Lend Lease has held initial discussions with Council officers and councillors regarding the development, recognising that this is a very special part of inner Melbourne.

Vivas Lend Lease believes their proposal to redevelop the site for residential use complements the State Government’s planning policies of creating new housing opportunities close to public transport nodes. Recognising the potential of this location, the City of Stonnington has identified the property as a large redevelopment site in its Strategic Framework Plan.

Additionally, the State Government’s Urban Development Program has identified the property as a future residential site.

The planning process Planning is in its preliminary stages, with Vivas Lend Lease, looking to lodge plans with Stonnington Council in late May.

Draft Planning Program:

January – May 2010 Initial discussions with City of Stonnington and Department of
Planning and Community Development

April – May 2010 Initial engagement with community and other stakeholders

Late May 2010 Lodge Amendment request and draft Development Plan

June- July 2010 Consideration by City of Stonnington to place on public exhibition

The project website (www.orrongroad.com.au) went live on Friday 30 April, The information displayed during the community information and feedback session will also be made available on the website (following the session).

Key aspects of the proposal include:

• A primarily residential precinct.
• A mixture of quality townhouse residences and apartments.
• A mix of dwelling types to meet the housing requirements of local residents (from young professionals to families and empty nesters) as their lifestyle needs change.
• Targeting best practice sustainability initiatives/outcomes for the project.
• Increased public access to open space, and improved connections between adjacent existing community open spaces.
• A public transport oriented community that capitalises on the site’s proximity to Toorak train
station, buses and trams, and provides improved public access to Toorak train station.
• Exploration of a range of public domain improvements and community amenities to be delivered as part of the project.
• Small scale commercial uses for everyday convenience.

Lend Lease is committed to creating a legacy of sustainable and diverse communities, transforming ‘greenfield’ and urban renewal sites into vibrant master planned communities across Australia.

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Marc Pallisco

A former property analyst and print journalist, Marc is the publisher of realestatesource.com.au.