Minor changes approved for apartments on Marri Road, Duncraig

MINOR amendments have been approved for an apartment complex under construction in Duncraig.

The development at 50 Marri Road was first approved by the Metro North-West Joint Development Assessment Panel in October 2016 and proposed three storeys plus an undercroft, with 22 apartments and 45 car parking bays.

The applicant has since proposed to amalgamate two one-bedroom apartments to one three-bedroom apartment, reducing the units from 22 to 21 and to relocate the bin store from the ground floor to the basement carpark, with a bin collection platform on Roche Road.

The amendment was presented to the panel on December 11.

The meeting document said the applicant had proposed the changes after “further investigation of the market and a desire to design the apartments to suit the main target market or active market segment of downsizers”.

“The apartments are larger than standard and will incorporate features to allow adaptation to suit the requirements of older persons,” it said.

It also said the relocation of the bin store was to allow them to be emptied off Roche Road rather than Cassinia Road, which has a steep slope making “bin presentation difficult”.

It said having the platform on Roche Road would allow “the truck to safely stop off-road on the adjacent driveway of the shopping centre carpark to empty the bins”.

MJA Studio senior project architect John Monger added that it would also work “much better” for the development.