Scarborough $120m towers approved

Edge Visionary Living’s two-tower development in Scarborough has been given the green light, with the development to form part of the coastal suburb's redevelopment area.

The 17- and 15-storey development is revised from an initial application of 19 and 17 storeys and is planned at Lot 500 Reserve Street, near the Rendezvous Hotel.

The Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority’s board approved the 226-dwelling development at its meeting last week, citing the development’s community benefit.

Despite the towers exceeding the area’s height limits, the board noted that the proposal aligned with local design guidelines and exercised its discretion.

“While the proposal exceeds the prescribed building height, it does so in a manner that remains consistent with the precinct vision and provides commensurate community benefit,” the board noted.

Current height limits for the site are eight storeys with a 12-storey bonus when developments meet certain criteria.

The MRA added that the proposal achieved a level of development intensity equivalent with the level permissible under the prescribed development standards, despite the height increase

“It does so by consolidating the development within two taller towers, as opposed to three shorter towers which results in improvements to solar access for the property to the south, primarily due to the internal tower separation increasing to approximately 35 metres,” it stated.

Edge Visionary Living managing director Gavin Hawkins said the development played an integral part of the Scarborough foreshore redevelopment plan.  

“This represents an excellent opportunity to strengthen the vision to activate the northern end of the popular beach and continue the excellent progress achieved with the extensive foreshore landscaping, and the creation of the amphitheatre and Scarborough Beach Pool by DevelopmentWA,” he said.

The development comprises a 117-apartment and 109-apartment building, a restaurant and cafe, and 538 car parking bays including 100 public bays. 

The towers will sit on a 5,442 square metre site along Scarborough’s Esplanade beach strip.

Hillam Architects designed the development, basing it on the nearby dunes and Trigg bushland.

Construction is expected to commence during the second half of 2022 and should be complete in 2024. 

The project is expected to launch to market early next year.

Other projects in the Scarborough redevelopment area include Sentinel Property Group's 24-storey mixed use tower, QS Developments' application for three buildings up to 18 storeys and 3 Oceans Property's plans to build 43- and 33-storey towers.