Plans for Esplanade apartments modified

THE applicants for a three-storey development on Torquay’s foreshore have amended their plans to add a fourth-storey apartment.

The Surf Coast Shire is now publicly exhibiting the amended application for the proposal at 42 The Esplanade, which will cost an estimated $6 million to build.

Located on the west side of The Esplanade, between Zeally Bay Road and Gilbert Street, the site is 753 sqm in size.

According to the planning documents, the shire refused to grant a permit for the original three-storey mixed use development and basement car park in 2019, saying the proposal was too tall and bulky, did not allow adequately for future development on its neighbouring sites, and suffered from several amenity and parking deficiencies.

Applicant Ana Isobel Dias Peixoto then sought to have the shire’s decision overturned at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Discussions between the two parties at VCAT led to several changes that addressed the shire’s concerns, and VCAT then granted a permit.

In December 2020, Planning and Property Partners Pty Ltd (acting on the applicant’s behalf) wrote to VCAT seeking several amendments to the permit. These include:

• Four storeys instead of three
• Three retail tenancies (two shops and one food and drink premises) instead of two
• The number of apartments is unchanged at eight, but now comprises two two-bedroom dwellings, five three-bedroom dwellings and one four-bedroom penthouse dwelling
• 18 car parking spaces instead of 13, comprising 14 for the apartments (including six stackers), two for retail (in a separate stacker) and two for the public, and
• Slight changes to the northern and southern setbacks.

In their report, Planning and Property Partners Pty Ltd state there was policy support and strategic justification for the fourth level, including the Torquay Town Centre Urban Design Framework.

“The siting and design of the penthouse meet the relevant design objectives for the foreshore area and will not result in any unreasonable impact on adjoining properties, including the public realm,” the report said.

The proposed changes to the dwelling mix are in response to market feedback.

“It continues to provide a range of different dwelling sizes and typology. Importantly, the changes in dwelling mix and consequential layout do not result in any significant alterations to the currently approved built form,” the report states.

“The additional penthouse introduces a new product to the market.”