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Bay Trail will be bathed

A section of the Bay Trail in Port Melbourne will continue to be bathed in afternoon sun after a new apartment block is built, thanks to a Port Phillip council decision.

The council's planning committee met on Thursday last week and considered plans for a 10 storey, 35 metre building at 1 & 7 Waterfront Place that will fill a derelict site.

Shadow diagrams showed that the building would block sunlight to nearby public space, including the Bay Trail and parts of the foreshore during late June afternoons.

Port Phillip received a number of objections to the development, with some suggesting that overshadowing had not been minimised in line with the design and development overlay (DDO).

Councillors gave a Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit, however it added amendments including that there should be a reduction in the built form of the development so that it does not cast shadows on the Bay Trail between the hours of 12:00pm and 3:00pm at the time of the June solstice.

Rooftop services will also need to be designed so that they do not cast shadows at the same times.

The decision is a win for people who ride and walk in the area as well as residents of the building, making sure that they will be able to get out and soak up the sunshine on their doorstep.

It is thought the amendment will make the building up to two storeys lower. Developers of the building, Action Group Holdings, are said to be considering a VCAT challenge to the decision.

As well as residential apartments, the building will include retail, eateries and a wellness centre and gym. Outdoor gardens, street furniture and bike parking hoops will also be installed.

Click here to see Port Phillip Council planning committee meeting papers and minutes, including Waterfront Place documents.

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