21-35-Power-St-and-38-Freshwater-Place-Southbank

Department of Transport, Planning and Local InfrastructureThe footpath on the frontage has been indented onto private land on Power Street to allow a vehicledrop off. The City of Melbourne has advised that the indented footpath within the existing title needto be considered in relation to future ownership, maintenance and liability (with a potential section173 agreement required). However, in order to achieve a better public outcome and to achieve thegeneral policy direction of DDO1 (80% of Power Street frontage for active uses) and DDO3(minimising traffic conflict) the footpath should be retained as it is now and the building line broughtcloser to Power Street. This would also negate the requirement for a Section 173 for overhangs.Coaches will not be able to drop off passengers at the front entrance but can access the hotelthrough Waterfall Lane from Southbank Boulevard.The proposal includes a through-block link into Freshwater Place 2, which is supported but requires tobe reconfigured from the March 2014 plans. In summary the frontage and through-block linkrequires to achieve the following: Apartment entrances provided with an appropriate address, visible from Power Street/Freshwater Place 2; A clear line of sight through to Freshwater Place 2 and better connections; The through-block link widened and redesigned to ensure safety and ease of use with aminimum 3.6 metre width; An improved frontage directly to Power Street.The applicant responded to the above concerns and provided informal sketch plans (July/ August2014, Metier Drawing SK0128) that have completely redesigned the ground floor and arcade. There isnow a direct, straight through-block link, appropriate apartment entrances, activated hotel lobby, andusable retail spaces.11.5 Microclimate (Wind, Weather Protection, Overshadowing) &Internal AmenityWindThe further information was accompanied by a wind tunnel test report (Vipac 26 February 2014).The report concluded that all areas met walking criteria. The wind conditions at the main PowerStreet entrance to the hotel met standing criteria.The CCZ3 provision outlines that DDO1 areas such as Power Street should be designed to begenerally acceptable for stationary long term wind exposure (where the peak gust speed during thehourly average with a probability of exceedence of 0.1% in any 22.5 degree wind direction sectormust not exceed 10 ms-1). Given the proposed alterations to the building form this can be consideredby way of a condition.Weather ProtectionA 2.7 metre wide canopy form is provided along the site’s frontage to Power Street providing weatherprotection for pedestrians and assisting with any potential wind downdrafts. The canopy is in astepped form over several levels, which is excessive and would benefit from a reduction in formcloser to the title boundary. This has been addressed in informal sketch plans (July /August 2014).OvershadowingThere are additional shadows as a result of the building. The development (and particularly theadditional height above the 160m height control) will not significantly overshadow key public openspaces or high quality public areas as demonstrated by the submitted shadow plans. In particular theshadow will avoid the Boyd School site open space at the appropriate times.17