103 Beach St, Port Melbourne

formerly The Beacon Cove Foodstore

November 2024

103 Beach St, Port Melbourne 22 November 2024

December 2023

103 Beach St status update December 2023

March 2023

Construction underway at 103 Beach St. 

piling at 103 Beach St, March 2023

December 2022

Agreement was reached between the developer, City of Port Phillip (Council) and other parties at a VCAT compulsory conference last week.

The development has been approved without the sixth level (a roof terrace), and with levels 3 and 4 shifted east by 0.5m and no western terrace on level 3.

November 2022

The developer has decided to appeal the City of Port Phillip’s approval granted on 28 July 2022.

The developer is contesting many of the conditions Council attached to the planning approval and suggesting amendments to others. The conditions being contested include:

• A requirement for design methods to slow the speed of cyclists.
• The setbacks of a minimum of five metres from the eastern and western boundaries for levels 3 and 4.
• The requirement to provide a second entrance to the supermarket on the southern side.
• The deletion of the sixth level (a roof terrace) and lowering of the height of the building.
• The requirement that the entrance to the apartments be from Beach Street.
• Design of basement ramp in relation to on-site waste collection.

VCAT has scheduled a compulsory conference for 7 December 2022 and a Hearing in March 2023.

September 2022

Demolition of the building was undertaken by MANN Group, and completed on 3 September.

Demolition by MANN Group, September 2022

July 2022

At the Port Phillip Council planning meeting on 28 July, the officer recommendation was to approve the application for an amendment to the already approved permit.

Cr Cunsolo moved that the amendment be refused. She was supported by fellow Gateway Ward councillors Marcus Pearl and Peter Martin but the motion was defeated.

She then proposed a second motion to delete the roof terraces, as follows: 

"Delete the roof terraces and associated stair access from top level units, delete central stair to roof, and minimise lift overrun, the highest parapet reduced to RL 22.5 around plant equipment in the centre of the roof. A roof access hatch to access services is allowed." (condition ii)

That change was supported and passed. 

It is unclear at this time what the response of the developer, Luxcon, will be. 

Mirvac's support for a variation to the covenant in place is also required. 

(refer to Port Phillip Planning Committee unconfirmed minutes 28 July 2022)

March 2022

Luxcon have applied for an amendment to their planning permit. The amendment proposes an increase from 12 to 22 residential units, the addition of another storey to 5 levels,  and to 794 sq m of retail space and the reorientation of the pedestrian entrance.

The number of car parking spaces would increase from 30 to 51 and bicycle spaces from 24 to 46.

The City of Port Phillip is assessing the amendment application. 

October 2021

103 Beach St, October 2021

Branding for Pier 103 Waterfront Residences wraps around the former Beacon Cove foodstore.

September 2021

A hoarding has been placed around the building while the developer prepares revised plans to put to Port Phillip Council. Carr architects have been engaged to prepare the revised design. 

The hoarding has since been defaced with anti-vaccination, anti-lockdown graffiti.

103 Beach St, September 2021

July 2021

The site has been purchased by Sydney-based developer Ilya Melnikoff for $16.65 million. This will be only their second project in Melbourne - the first being in Albert St, East Melbourne.

The 1400 sq m site was acquired from Melbourne developer V-Leader, which paid $11.2 million for it in 2017.

The development will be re-branded as Pier 103 Waterfront Residences. 

April 2020

The last trading day for the IGA Beacon Cove Foodstore was 3 April 2020.

Beacon Cove Foodstore, April 2020

November 2019

VCAT issued  planning permit 673/2015 on 6 February 2017. The permit allowed for the construction of a three storey building containing a supermarket and restaurant at ground level and 14 dwellings above and a reduction of the car parking and loading bay requirements.

An amendment to that permit was sought. It proposed the addition of an extra storey to create a four storey (15.1m high) building, the reduction of the number of dwellings (from 14 to 12), rearrangement of the basement car park, modify car parking (including car parking to the north of the site) and reduce the clearance height of the building above the shared path on the eastern side of the site and internal changes.

The City of Port Phillip supported the amendment and a permit with conditions was issued. (see City of Port Phillip planning report 27 November 2019)

The architects for the amended design are  Wood Marsh Architecture, responsible for nearby MINT, Alumuna and Beacon. Wood Marsh has its offices in the ground floor of the Beacon building on Beach St.

1 April 2015

The site was purchased for $11 million by Key Infrastructure Australia in December 2014. They plan to demolish it and replace it with a three level 15 unit project.  

The Beacon Cove Foodstore in 2015

2010

Bernard Mandile and the Beacon Cove Foodstore were one and the same. Bernard had Villagio  Delicatessen in Albert Park before being encouraged to be an anchor tenant in emerging Beacon Cove.

Bernard Mandile outside the Beacon Cove Foodstore, December 2010

1990s

The Beacon Cove Foodstore under construction c1994 photo Ron Cassano

1 - 7 Waterfront Place, Port Melbourne

 A brief chronology of 1 - 7 Waterfront Place

1 - 7 Waterfront Place in November 2010 1 – 7 Waterfront Place, Port Melbourne 1988 Bayside Project Act passed. The Minister for Planning becomes the Responsible Authority for the Bayside site 1989 EPA issues site clean up notice. Remediation works 1992 Bayside Open Planning Forum (August) 1993 Government calls for expressions of interest to develop the site 1994 Mirvac named as preferred developer. Draws up precinct plans 1995 Construction begins - including 1 - 7 Waterfront Place including gym and childcare centre 2009   2012  City of Port Phillip prepares draft Urban Design Guidelines for the site in anticipation of an application Action Group sought a permit for three buildings up to 19 storeys tall. The application was refused. 2014 Fire broke out on the site in the early hours of 14 September and buildings extensively damaged 2017 A planning application for a single 10 storey tower made, and refused by City of Port Phillip. Appealed to VCAT. 2018 On 30 July 2018, the Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne, calls in the application, the same day that the application was scheduled to be heard at VCAT.  2019 In October, the applicant appeals the Minister's call in to the Supreme Court which rules in favour of the Minister 2019 Minister appoints an Advisory Committee to consider a revised application. The applicant withdraws from the process 2020 August - a new application is made to the City of Port Phillip 2021 Approved by the Port Phillip Council on 24 June (with conditions) 2021 Developer appeals City of Port Phillip decision to VCAT 2022 VCAT hearing set down for 23 - 25 March VCAT approves the development and sets aside the conditions that were in dispute (VCAT Reference No P11346/2021, Permit Application No 490/2020 11/2024 Casa Properties confirms purchase of the site.