Orchard Piper Wins Two Storeys at VCAT

Melbourne luxury developer Orchard Piper has reclaimed two storeys of its $400-million Toorak project on appeal.

Orchard Piper is planning to build 43 high-end apartments in an eight-storey development at 7-11A and 17-19 Carters Avenue, but has had to go through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to do it. 

The Melbourne developer acquired the site, home to a Mercedes-Benz dealership, in 2022 for $67 million and submitted its plans for two to four-bedroom apartments and penthouses atop basement parking for 160 vehicles the following year.

The development is being backed by rich-lister James Packer, who has been increasingly active in the property space and recently supported Time & Place in its acquisition of a Surry Hills site.

The mixed-use plans designed by Kerry Hill Architects also incorporate 13 office tenancies, five ground-floor retail units and a 180-seat restaurant. 

However, the City of Stonnington Council took umbrage to the development, after objections were lodged criticising the project. 

Some argued that it would bring further congestion to the area of Toorak Village and was of an unacceptable height in “an already small and over-developed street.”

▲ The mixed-use plans designed by Kerry Hill Architects also incorporate 13 office tenancies, five ground-floor retail units and a 180-seat restaurant.

At a council meeting in July, the council agreed to allow the development to proceed, but only if Orchard Piper cut the building height by two floors so the building was a maximum of six storeys. 

Orchard Piper however took the issue to VCAT, arguing it was a poorly made decision that unnecessarily removes 17 homes. 

The VCAT presiding member found that the condition to remove the floors was not required to ensure an acceptable planning outcome, and that removing them would be to the detriment of the building and the broader area.

It deleted the condition from the council’s permission, and directed it to issue a modified planning permit, so the project could move ahead.

Orchard Piper has been on a winning streak in recent years, having recently launched its $300-million St Kilda Road of 54 luxury residences to market, alongside a five-star 108-key hotel and celebrated sales success at its Toorak Village project.