Minister approves Docklands tower

Docklands’ northern end is set to receive another boost of residents, with the approval of an apartment tower at the corner of Harbour Esplanade and LaTrobe St.

Planning Minister Richard Wynne last month approved the $120 million project, which will see the construction of a further 383 Docklands apartments.

There are number of residential projects currently under construction or planned in Docklands’ northern end, including MAB’s Banksia, Promenade and Aqui projects, Hiap Hoe’s Marina Tower and Capital Alliance’s plan to build apartment towers above Harbour Town Shopping Centre.

The approved permit for the Salta Properties development replaces an earlier proposal for the site, which would have seen construction of a 38-storey tower.

Mr Wynne said the revised design would result in better places for people to live, offering more daylight to the 383 apartments.

The 27-storey tower will be 92 metres tall, which is higher than the discretionary 75 metres allowed on the site.

However, Mr Wynne said he approved the project because the apartments were well designed, would not rely on borrowed light and the additional 14 metres would have little broader impact.

“This will be a well designed tower, providing more liveable apartments for people to live close to Southern Cross Station, the waterfront and the CBD,” Mr Wynne said.

The project will also include 2213 sqm of office space, 670 sqm of retail space, 309 car spaces and 142 bicycle spaces.