Mustera's Applecross apartments approved

Mustera Property Group has been given the green light to proceed on its Forbes Residences proposal in Applecross, following two rejected development applications and a revision from 20 storeys down to 13.

Designed by internationally acclaimed architecture group WOHA, the Forbes Residences proposal comprises 57 apartments and a range of community facilities, including a communal garden, end of trip facilities, a co-working space and a community centre.

Mustera applied to build its first 20 storey, 98 apartment iteration of Forbes Residences in December 2018, with that proposal rejected in March 2019 by the metropolitan central joint development assessment panel.

At the time, the JDAP said the project’s design was exceptional, but the community benefit proposed did not warrant going over the 10-storey height limit of the Forbes Residences site.

A second, 15-level design was rejected by the JDAP in October last year.

Mustera executive director Nicholas Zborowski said the company was relieved and excited to have gained approval for the third iteration of the development, which shares the same design principles as the two previous designs.

Mr Zborowski said as well as reducing the height of the building from 20 to 13 storeys, the number of apartments per floor had been reduced from seven to four.

“We have always tried to maintain that the project was going to be a project for the residents of Applecross and aligned our objectives with the Canning Bridge Structure Plan,” Mr Zborowski said.

“Where they talk about the community, obviously the council members had some difficulty in understanding the community benefits and how that applied to the proportionality of the bonus height. 

“Fundamentally our principles have always been around design before they have been around economics. 

“In our view, the approval at 20 storeys should have gone through, because it aligned very closely with the objectives of the CBSP. 

“But there were a few grey areas in that structure plan and there is a review being taken by the city themselves.” 

Mr Zborowski said while timing was certainly not ideal to launch marketing immediately, Mustera was targeting a construction start within 12 months.

“We have always had some interest in the project through some of our existing shareholders and partners, so we do have a level of pre-commit that is already on the table,” he said.

“It is just a matter now of getting the strata plans drawn up and getting that contracted. 

“I think we are going to have to weigh up exactly where the market lays in the next 2-3 months, which is not a bad thing, given the fact that we do need that time to prepare marketing materials and get the contracts where they need to be and launch the project.”

The project is Singapore-headquartered WOHA’s fourth project in Australia, and first in WA.

WOHA has also collaborated with local firm MJA Studio throughout the planning and design process.

Apartments in the project will be separated by sky gardens every three storeys, while residents will have access to a gym, swimming pool, dining area, kitchen and barbecue facilities on a podium deck.

Mustera is targeting a 5-star Green Star rating, with sustainability initiatives including a solar PV array, natural cross ventilation, wind scoops to circulate fresh are in the basement and recycled wastewater for garden irrigation.

“Our vision from the outset has been to deliver a world-class development in terms of its design, its amenity and its approach to sustainability - an Applecross in the sky,” Mr Zborowski said.

“Forbes Residences is an apartment development unlike anything seen in the Perth market to date. It’s one we are very proud of, and one we believe will take the perception of apartment living to a new level.”