Hansen’s Urban Planning team worked in collaboration with Six Degrees Architects to secure planning approval for this award-winning urban infill project in Brunswick, Melbourne: a sustainable six-star building and new public park on a former council nursery site.

One of the biggest challenges involved was that the land had a history of moderate contamination, due to its previous use as a clay pit in the early 1900s. This meant the land had to be remediated to a level capable of sustaining residential accommodation and public open space.

The residential component of 1 Heller Street features 10 townhouses across three levels. A basement level provides access to individual garages, subterranean living/bedroom areas, and rear courtyards. A generous open-plan living area is located at ground level, with access onto the newly created park. Three bedrooms are designed on the first floor, accessing private roof terrace areas.

The park design provides a perimeter complete with a mix of native and indigenous planting surrounding a central grassed space. The outlook from the park’s development is visually integrated with the ground-level areas.

The project was designed to comply with ResCode and following stakeholder consultation, the project was approved without involving VCAT.