Advertisement

Would you want a building this high in your city?

Height limits have been raised to 180 metres in Paris. Photo: AAP

Height limits have been raised to 180 metres in Paris. Photo: AAP

In September this year, the Andrews government in Victoria introduced new height restrictions for buildings in Melbourne.

The restrictions, which are only temporary until permanent rules are introduced in 2016, have significantly reined in Melbourne’s skyscraper boom of recent years.

Rather than focussing on height in metres, the interim laws concentrate on density of space.

Money won’t make you happy
Changing jobs? Read this first
How to handle life decisions

New buildings are now allowed a ratio of 24 square metres of total floor area for every one square metre of land. In other words, any developer wishing to build to the very edge of their block would only be allowed to build 24 storeys high.

These are the first density restrictions to be introduced in Melbourne, despite cities such as New York, Singapore and Hong Kong all enforcing them.

Of course, height restrictions are important not just for the look and feel of a city, but also for the flight paths.

1116buildings

To stay clear of aeroplanes, Melbourne buildings are usually restricted to between 228 metres and 315 metres, depending on the part of the city. Exceptions can be made to these heights, but will result in the flight path of planes being altered.

Elsewhere in the world, it’s not just planes and floor space density that affects building heights.

Height limits have been raised to 180 metres in Paris. Photo: AAP

Height limits have been raised to 180 metres in Paris. Photo: AAP

In Bali, buildings can’t be any taller than palm trees, which stand at about 15 metres. In Athens, buildings can’t surpass 12 floors lest they block the view of the Parthenon. Similarly, in St Petersburg, Russia, buildings must not surpass the Winter Palace.

Closer to home, Brisbane’s current height limit for the CBD is 274 metres, while Sydney’s is a comparatively moderate 235 metres. These numbers are often just guidelines, as exceptions can be made for buildings of ‘state significance’.

On the Gold Coast, a new draft City Plan proposes to remove height restrictions in the Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise areas – areas already been built up considerably during the 1980s and 1990s. However, certain parklands around Broadbeach and Southport’s Main Beach have been proposed as ‘no go zones’ for new skyscrapers.

Further north in Sydney earlier this year, the Parramatta Council was pushing for the introduction of a ‘no fly zone’, to make way for a proposed 500m-high residential tower.

Melbourne’s new permanent restrictions will be introduced in the second half of 2016, after a lengthy consultation with the public.

­­­­­­­


This article has been brought to you by Cbus. Read the relevant Cbus Product Disclosure Statement to decide whether Cbus is right for you.

Contact 1300 361 784 or visit www.cbussuper.com.au for a copy.

Cbus’ Trustee: United Super Pty Ltd ABN 46 006 261 623 AFSL 233792 Cbus ABN 75 493 363 262

cbus

Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.