Plans for a seven-storey infill development have been lodged with the City of Melbourne council.
The development planned for 66-68 Batman Street in West Melbourne is being designed by KUD Architects for developer and Melbourne lawyer Paul Zaparas.
Seven commercial tenancies are being planned for the building, which would deliver 1731sq m of office space.
The stepped development would consist of balconies and rooftop terraces for the use of office workers.
A two-storey brick building currently occupies the site but the surrounding buildings are predominantly large towers, such as an 18-storey tower at 50-56 Batman Street and 38-storey and 25-storey buildings across the road at Spencer Street. The remaining buildings in the vicinity are smaller buildings, including a fire station.
There is also an adjoining site earmarked for further development, which would involve the existing development application being extended.
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Given the inner-city location, development opportunities in West Melbourne can be rare, compounded by the 2018 West Melbourne Structure Plan outlining planning controls to protect character and heritage buildings and unlock 10,000sq m of new open space.
However, the council’s plan also envisaged a new high street at Spencer Street.
Subsequently, developers took another look at the area and last year Country Land Australia lodged plans for a 24-storey apartment tower near Flagstaff Gardens at 67-73 Jeffcott Street, on the north-western corner of the Spencer and Batman streets intersection.
