State Government gives green light to Southbank by Beulah in Melbourne State Government gives green light to Southbank by Beulah in Melbourne
News - 24 April 2020

State Government gives green light to Southbank by Beulah in Melbourne

Following unanimous support from the City of Melbourne’s Future Melbourne Committee in March, the Victorian State Government has officially given the green light to the Southbank by Beulah project, one of Melbourne’s most ambitious and forward-thinking projects to date. Southbank by Beulah was designed by UNStudio and Cox Architecture.

On track to become Australia’s tallest tower at 365 metres high, approval from the Minister for Planning The Hon. Richard Wynne signifies a major vote of confidence in the overall concept and future of Southbank. The permit will now allow Beulah to officially transform the current BMW site into an unprecedented, world-class vertical village spanning a total of 270,000sqm.

Caroline Bos: "Today is a day to celebrate on many fronts with the planning approval signalling a momentous achievement for all involved. We are honoured that Southbank by Beulah has received unanimous support for its design. From the initial concept to one that has evolved into a groundbreaking global collaborative project, the outcome is an exciting prospect, not only for the project team but for Melbourne, reaffirming its reputation as the world's most liveable city."

Ben van Berkel: "We are truly delighted with this news and very much looking forward to working with Beulah and the whole team on making the Southbank project a worthy addition to the city and the people of Melbourne.”

Beulah Managing Director Jiaheng Chan said the project team has been overwhelmed by the support from the official government bodies.

“We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to both the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne for their endorsement of Southbank by Beulah, which we hope will play a significant role in Melbourne’s economic recovery over the coming years.

“Southbank by Beulah will transform the way Melburnians work, live, learn, revitalise and play — it will set a global benchmark for an unprecedented lifestyle hub that caters to present and future generations and will assist in the future growth of Melbourne and its vision to become a truly global smart city.

“Discussions have already begun with leading global brands in the hospitality, retail and cultural sectors who are looking for a transformative project of this calibre.”

Lodged in August 2019, the approved application outlines plans to offer users an unprecedented connectedness to nature within an urban environment. Envisioned as a vertical mini-metropolis, Southbank by Beulah will comprise four distinct collections of private residences, public and green spaces, rooftop sky garden, town hall, commercial offices, a five-star urban resort, childcare centre, a health and wellness precinct, arts and culture spaces and programs, as well as world-class experiential retail, all within two twisting terraced forms.

The spine twists into a series of outdoor spaces and green devices along the façades of the two towers, paying homage to Melbourne’s title of The Garden City, symbolically bridging the iconic Royal Botanic Gardens with Melbourne’s Arts Precinct.

Pocket parks will be a focal point throughout the building, connecting neighbourhoods within the residential tower, providing residents with a sense of community and a place to relax, before culminating in a landscaped journey to the publicly accessible rooftop sky garden.

Philip Rowe, Director Cox Architecture: “Southbank has laid somewhat dormant for many years. Our collaborative concept has the ability to truly uncover its potential, improving the urban amenity while seamlessly unifying the suburb with Melbourne’s CBD. The architectural and cultural impact Southbank by Beulah will leave on Melbourne is an exciting prospect and will undoubtedly set a benchmark both locally and globally, both now and well into the future.” 

Nicholas Reece, Chair of the City of Melbourne’s Planning Portfolio: “We sometimes hear people in this city say, “Melbourne has never seen anything like it”. That is often said with a little bit of exaggeration but think we can confidently say ‘Melbourne has never seen anything like Beulah’. It’s not just about the height - so much thought and effort has gone into the design and the green space. The apartments will provide a high level of amenity for residents along with services such as bike and car parking, a childcare centre, retail, hotel and office space.”

 

Construction on the project is forecast to commence next year and will take approximately 5 years to complete.

For more information, see also here