Plans have been lodged for the biggest residential and retail development in Spotswood’s history.
Consulting firm Urbis has lodged an application with Hobsons Bay council for a 10-storey neighbourhood activity centre on the corner of Melbourne Road and McLister Street.
The plan includes 350 dwellings, a Woolworths supermarket, Dan Murphy’s liquor store, specialty shops, a medical centre and cafe.
Plans show 764 car parks, 368 of which are for dwellings.
It’s the third time plans for the site have been lodged with the council.
In 2010, the council approved 90 dwellings for the site.
A subsequent plan for an increase in dwellings to 240 was rejected by the council, and went to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. VCAT agreed to 211 dwellings.
Now, the applicant has come back with plans for 350 dwellings.
Developer Sam Suleman said research had shown a need for more dwellings.
“We’ve had the site now for almost 20 years and we’ve always been talking to council about what’s the best use for it. This is obviously the best use for the site,” he said.
“We’ve had to put an amendment to the existing planning permit that we’ve got, mainly due to a requirement by our major tenant, being Woolworths, requesting some changes to the design. We’ve accommodated them.
“At the same time, given our research within the area about the level of interest for apartments, we’ve gone in for more apartments with a better design.”
The development is 10 storeys at its highest point, while most of it is five to six storeys.
The council has requested more information from the applicant, which it has until April 13 to provide.
