Milieu Plots Upsize on Elsternwick ABC Site

Demolition may be under way on the former ABC Studios site in Melbourne’s Elsternwick but the plans for the block are back before the council.

Developer Milieu has filed amendments with the City of Glen Eira council to add another storey to one of the six buildings for the triangular 1.174ha site at 8 Gordon Street in Melbourne’s southern suburbs.

The permit for the project has already been amended once and was granted in January. It allows for six buildings of three to six storeys and comprising 175 apartments.

The latest amendments ask that Building A rise from three to four storeys and that five apartments be added, taking to 180 the total number of units across the development.

There are also minor changes to architect Woods Bagot’s renderings to account for the new storey.

The buildings would still sit atop two basement levels comprising 290 carparking bays.

Plans also include a food and beverage space.

Application documents show an amended cost of $77.5 million.

▲ An updated render of Milieu’s ABC Studio site project showing Building A (on the right) with the proposed additional storey.

The site borders the Sandringham Rail Corridor on the western side, the Rippon Lea Estate is to the north and Gordon Street to the south-east.

The ABC decommissioned the site in 2017 when operations moved to Southbank.

The studios, built in the 1950s, were the filming location for programs including Spicks and Specks, Kath and Kim and Countdown. It was listed for sale in 2018, sparking a backlash from many including Countdown host Molly Meldrum.

Milieu and Besen acquired the site in 2021 for $28.875 million.

A 25m broadcasting tower will be retained and relocated on the site.