World’s Tallest Hybrid Timber Tower Site On The Block

The future of one of Australia’s most ambitious projects is under a cloud as the development site for Grange’s C6 project goes to market. 

The developer received a hard-won development approval for what would have been the world’s tallest hybrid timber tower in September of 2023, but the project has not advanced since.

The 2379sq m site of the proposed 51-storey tower at 4-8 Charles Street, South Perth, has been listed, with JLL managing the campaign. 

Following years of planning, negotiations and redesigns, Grange Developments managing director James Dibble looked visibly relieved when it finally became clear his $350-million carbon negative timber tower would be approved.

But the fate of the “revolutionary” residential tower is now less certain.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved with the C6 project. From acquisition through rezoning to development approval, we delivered a planning and design outcome that redefines what’s possible not just for Perth, but on a global stage,” Dibble said of the listing.  

The project received international recognition, nabbing a number of future project design awards, but Dibble acknowledged Grange could not “be everything to everyone”.

▲ Rendering of the proposed tower; Grange Developments managing director James Dibble.

Dibble said the sale would be to “transition stewardship of C6 to a new group”.

“This is not a retreat. It’s a handover. The planning work is complete. The vision is clear. The opportunity is rare. And we believe someone else is now best placed to deliver it,” he said.

“We’ve taken a hard look at where we create the most value with our unique set of skills and where we want to go next as a firm. That’s led us to a deliberate decision to focus on larger-scale land subdivision projects and commercial investments as our core strategy across Australia.

“This means concentrating our efforts on key regions and project types where we believe our skill set can make the most meaningful impact.”

The developer will now focus on its other projects across Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria. 

The site is being offered through an expressions-of-interest campaign being run by JLL’s Nigel Freshwater and Sean Flynn.

The block, amalgamated from two sites, last sold in March of 2021. Each of the two sites sold for $3.85 million, according to Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) data. 

JLL senior director of capital markets for WA Nigel Freshwater said the development approval achieved was “exceptional”.

“It has achieved the maximum plot-ratio outcome stipulated under the local planning policy and is valid for several years yet,” Freshwater said.

“If a buyer wanted to take the site in a different direction, then that could happen, although a residential mixed-use outcome would still be ultimately delivered on the site.”

▲ Grange’s James Dibble said he was hopeful the buyer would deliver the project.

The approved Fraser and Partners-designed development plans include 238 apartments from one to four bedrooms, with a total gross floor area of 44,461sq m and net saleable area of 24,610sq m. 

The design includes a 500sq m rooftop with an edible garden and entertainment space, as well as 1600sq m of communal wellness amenities.

The C6 Project would comprise 42 per cent mass timber construction, incorporating about 7400 cubic metres of sustainably sourced timber, which was expected to sequester 10,500 tonnes of upfront embedded carbon.

JLL senior director of capital markets for WA Sean Flynn said the project was “poised to set new global benchmarks in sustainable highrise construction”.

The site is 2km from Perth’s CBD and has 360-degree views of the Swan River, Perth skyline and Indian Ocean.