First look: CBE Asia Pacific plans 100-apartment Jenkin House on Queens Parade, Fitzroy North
CBE Asia Pacific has lodged plans for a prominent corner site in Fitzroy North, with a proposal that integrates state-significant affordable housing alongside heritage adaptation and new retail.
The application covers a consolidated 2,024 sqm parcel at 201–215 Queens Parade and 6–12 Dummett Crescent. The site includes the heritage-listed Former Clifton Motor Hill Garage, fronting Queens Parade, and vacant land to the rear abutting Dummett Crescent.
According to planning documents prepared by proUrban, the proposal seeks approval for a 12-storey residential building comprising 98 apartments, including a component of affordable housing, over a ground floor retail podium integrated within the heritage structure. Approximately 780 sqm of retail space will occupy the ground floor, while residents will have access to over 850 sqm of communal amenity.
The built form presents as two connected volumes: a 12-storey tower addressing Dummett Crescent and a five-storey volume fronting Queens Parade, the latter consistent with a separate Heritage Victoria permit granted in 2023. The tower reaches a maximum height of 38.26 metres, with upper-level setbacks of 14 metres from the western boundary to reduce visual bulk. A 1.5-metre footpath widening is proposed to Dummett Crescent Lane.
Parking is provided across four basement levels, accessed via Dummett Crescent, with a total of 142 car spaces and 143 bicycle spaces.
The architectural response by CHT Architects is framed by a need to reconcile new density with a sensitive heritage overlay. The Former Clifton Motor Hill Garage, identified as a place of State heritage significance, will retain its key façades, with demolition and reconstruction limited to approved elements.
As noted in the Heritage Impact Assessment, the proposal remains consistent with the Heritage Victoria permit, which allows "partial demolition, reconstruction and new works, involving the construction of a five-storey multi-use development and three basement levels".
Affordable housing has been embedded into the proposal under Clause 53.23, with specific apartment allocations aimed at enhancing housing diversity within the Queens Parade Activity Centre.
"The proposal is generally consistent with the relevant policy objectives and the intent of the Yarra Planning Scheme," proUrban states in its planning assessment, citing its alignment with strategic documents including Plan Melbourne and Victoria’s Housing Statement.
CHT Architects' plans emphasise a tiered design that acknowledges the site's varied interfaces—from the elevated Heidelberg Road ramp reserve to the recently built Clifton Views aged care facility to the north-east.
CBE Asia Pacific has not been previously active in this precinct, but the project joins a wave of higher-density residential proposals along the Queens Parade corridor, spurred by Melbourne’s broader push to increase affordable housing in well-connected inner-urban areas.
The site benefits from direct access to the Queens Parade tram corridor and proximity to Clifton Hill Station (approximately 200 metres), as well as green open spaces including Mayors Park and Raines Reserve. Clifton Hill Primary School and the Queens Parade retail village lie within walking distance.
