A 28-storey building will tower above the Maribyrnong River after being given the green light by Planning Minister Matthew Guy.
Four buildings ranging from 16 storeys to 28 storeys will house 751 apartments, along with ground floor retail.
The $200 million riverside development is twice the 14-storey limit preferred by the council and three levels higher than the 25-storey plan it was provided for feedback in 2012.
The website of developer Devcorp Victoria still lists the 9209sqm project as up to 25 levels.
The Planning Minister has the final say on all projects in the Joseph Road Precinct, rezoned for high density development in 2009.
Mr Guy said such “central city apartments” were vital for housing a growing population.
“With Victoria growing at a record rate, including record numbers of babies being born, it is important we cater for all kinds of housing growth.”
Maribyrnong mayor Grant Miles is scathing of the approval, arguing the 2 Hopkins Street project was an overdevelopment that would overshadow the river and nearby green open space.
He said he heard of the approval via the media rather than via the minister or his department.
“We are extremely disappointed at the level of consultation and not being informed,” he said.
“It goes against everything the minister has said about protecting the river.”
Last September, Mr Guy announced planning controls along the Yarra River and said specific areas had also been identified along the Maribyrnong River that would benefit from site-specific height and setback controls.
“The Maribyrnong River is the greatest natural asset of Melbourne’s western suburbs,” Mr Guy said.
“Importantly, this will strengthen existing planning controls and introduce new controls to protect the river banks from inappropriate development.”
Mr Guy labelled the changes the strongest planning controls for the Maribyrnong River in its history.
“The mandatory height and setback controls will ensure that the river will be well protected from overdevelopment.”
Cr Miles said the approval of a 28-storey tower that would overshadow the river showed there was clearly greater value placed on protecting the Yarra for communities in the east than looking after the Maribyrnong for the west.
Maribyrnong council last year put a motion to the Municipal Association of Victoria conference calling for a review of planning controls to minimise the impact of overshadowing by new developments on sensitive areas such as school playgrounds, public parks and river frontages.
The decision comes just a week after the council released a draft masterplan for revitalising the river edge.
Cr Miles said approving a project twice the recommended height and three levels taller than flagged with the council was a slap in the face.
“There is no way of expressing how disappointed I am.”
The development follows approval of neighbouring projects including a 25-storey Moreland Street tower and a $318 million Hopkins Road development featuring twin 32-storey towers and nearly 1000 apartments.
