• Client

  Victorian School Building Authority

• Council

  City of Yarra

• Location

  280 Highett & 16 Gleadell Streets, Richmond

• Contact

  Russell Fairlie
  Email

Project Summary

ratio: was engaged by the Victorian School Building Authority to assess the traffic and parking impacts of the creation of the new Richmond High School across two inner urban sites in the heart of Richmond.

The site at 280 Highett Street will be developed as the ‘Academic Precinct’ within a contemporary four storey building, comprising primarily classrooms and administration areas, along with outdoor learning and recreation areas.  The nearby site at 16 Gleadell Street will be developed into a ‘Multi-Purpose Building’, comprising four netball courts (including one indoor netball/basketball court), along with multipurpose rooms and change rooms.

Richmond High School will ultimately have an enrolment of 650 students across Years 7-12 once fully operational.

Construction is underway and it is proposed that the initial Year 7 students will begin in Term 1 of 2018, and will be taught at the multi-purpose facility.  The academic precinct is proposed to open in Term 1 of 2019 for the second stream of Year 7 students as well as students moving into Year 8.

The school’s location within the heart of Richmond provides excellent access to a wide range of transport options and it is positioned close to existing community infrastructure and services.

The school will encourage the use of sustainable transport modes and Ratio worked closely with the VSBA, Council and Hayball Architects to ensure that the surrounding precinct has appropriate facilities for safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle access.

Ratio, in association with the VSBA also worked closely with other key stakeholders in the precinct, including the City of Yarra, Lynall Hall Community School, Richmond Multicultural Children's Centre, Leo Berry's Boxing Gym, Gleadell Street Market Traders and the Richmond Union Bowls Club to ensure that their needs were considered throughout the planning phase.

As part of the proposal, it is intended to make the ‘Multi-Purpose Building’ available for external community use.

• Client

  ALDI Stores

• Council

  Various Councils

• Location

  Victoria wide

• Contact

  Colleen Peterson
  Email

Development Summary

As part of our ongoing involvement with ALDI Stores applications, ratio: is pleased to have gained two approvals for new stores over the past month.

ALDI Burwood

This project involved the approval of a new ALDI store on Burwood Highway, on a parcel of land formerly used as a car sales yard. A somewhat awkward ‘L-Shaped’ lot, this project called for a unique design response that utilised the existing multi- level basement car park, dual street access, and adequately dealt with potential residential amenity impacts, traffic and liquor.

Adapting the existing conditions also presented a number of challenges in relation to flooding and meeting ESD requirements, requiring the project team to work closely with Council to achieve an outcome that was both practical and viable for the client.

The proposal received support from Whitehorse City Council and VicRoads earlier this year.

ALDI Boronia

After many months of hard work, this combined Planning Scheme Amendment and Planning Permit Application received support from the Minister last week (late April 2017).

Located within the Boronia Activity Centre, this site presented an excellent opportunity for ALDI Stores to located in a growing commercial area. However, the subject site, along with a number of other properties on the same street were zoned Commercial 2, limiting the range of uses permitted. In this instance, without access to a road in a Road Zone, a Supermarket was prohibited.

Lodgement of a detailed submission and close liaison with Knox Council lead to the re-zoning of all the adjoining properties from Commercial 2 to Commercial 1, which will facilitate the realisation of strategic objectives for the activity centre. This amendment also enabled the approval of the planning permit application for a new Supermarket and Shop at the subject site which was also supported by Council and ultimately, the Minister.