The redevelopment of Footscray’s fire-razed Little Saigon market site could begin by the end of this year, provided the owners can secure an extension to their lapsed planning permit.
Fire tore through the iconic Footscray market 18 months ago, causing more than $12 million damage.
Fire investigators found a fault in an electrical switchboard had caused the December 2016 blaze.
Site co-owner Binh Le said a developer has been secured to help rebuild a ground level market, topped by car parking and 260 apartments spread across two towers up to 12 storeys high.
“A lot of the old tenants have said that they want to come back,” he said.
The permit for the redevelopment, first granted in 2012, has already been extended three times. Mr Le said works were due to begin after the leases held by tenants ran out last April, but the impact of the fire caused extensive delays.
“We are hoping to get the extensions to the permit so we can do further things like apply for building permits,” he said.
“It’s now in the hands of the planning department of Maribyrnong council.”
Maribyrnong council’s planning services director Nigel Higgins confirmed his department had received another request for an extension of time for the permit.
“This is the fourth request to extend, and we are considering the request,” he said.
The council issued a clean-up notice for the site in January last year after high temperatures combined with rotting vegetables, meat and fish to produce a putrid smell.
The clean-up took place as soon as demolition approval was obtained and the site has been sitting empty ever since.
