03 Sep 2014 Strict New Rules for High-Rise Apartments
Some good news for future apartment dwellers.
New high-rise apartments in Melbourne would be subject to strict new building rules under guidelines being considered by Victoria’s state architect.
The Australian Institute of Architects’ Victorian president, Peter Malatt, said the tough new design standards were crucial if Melbourne was to avoid ”future slums” lining the city’s streets.
Among the mandated rules for developers proposed under the Office of the Victorian Government Architect’s draft Better Apartment Design guidelines would be minimum ceiling heights of 2.7 metres.
Many new apartments have ceiling heights of 2.5 metres and the building industry is concerned that pushing up ceiling heights would dramatically add to costs.
The draft guidelines, which are not finalised and have not been approved by Planning Minister Matthew Guy, would also see minimum apartment sizes set at 37 square metres for a studio apartment. A one-bed unit would be a minimum of 50 square metres; two bedrooms, 65 square metres; and three bedrooms, 90 square metres.