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Vacant land beside CERES
The Preferred Site for
MERRI COHOUSING
The Merri Cohousing group is currently focussing its intentions on
a site in East Brunswick on the Western side of
CERES Environmental Park.
One hectare of vacant land between Roberts Street and Ryan Street,
bounded by Stewart Street to the North.
Merri Cohousing would require approximately one third of this site to develop a 24-unit cohousing.
In April 2000, buildings on the site were demolished, and the owners,
a consortium of seven relatives, let it be known that they were considering
options to sell or develop on the site.
First Subdivision Plan
In June 2001, Moreland Council approved a
subdivision plan for 39 lots,
precipitating the sale of the land to a developer.
Immediately, Merri Cohousing approached the new owner with the idea of
them financing and building a 24-unit cohousing on a part of the site
notionally allocated to 13 lots. The idea being that members of
Merri Cohousing would each individually buy their own
dwelling "off-the-plan" from the developer,
after participating in a collaborative process of design of the whole cohousing site,
its dwellings, open space and shared facilities.
Over the subsequent weeks, the developer and Merri Cohousing have tentatively
taken steps together, with the developer showing much good will by
being open to changing their plans to best suit the cohousing part of the development.
Design Workshops on best location for cohousing
On Sunday 15 July and Saturday 21 July the members of Merri Cohousing
held design workshops to look at where a cohousing neighbourhood would
best be located on this site.
We looked at how people would come and go,
pedestrian, bike and car traffic, the location of the common house,
the car park, the entrance to the neighbourhood, the use of the
shared open space and the relationship to the surrounding neighbourhood.
We decided that the middle slice was the first preference, but not if
the North-South laneway (as shown on the first subdivison plan)
had to remain a public thoroughfare.
We also decided that either the northern third, or the eastern third
of the site could also be suitable for Merri Cohousing, after
resolution of some unknown factors.
A record of these design workshops should be available soon.
Second Subdivision Plan
At a meeting on Sunday 22 July, the developer informed us that they
had decided to apply to Council for a new subdivision plan
that would allow for the cohousing complex across the middle slice of the site,
between Ryan Street across to Roberts Street, opposite CERES Energy Park.
View an indicative Block Plan
prepared by Meagan York,
showing where the cohousing would be on the site,
and indicating the cohousing
as four three-storey apartment blocks (of six apartments each) and
the common house.
Indicative Area Diagram
Simon Tiller, an architect, then worked with our floor-area requirements,
and many of the site-use characteristics and requirements
determined by the workshops, to come up with an Indicative Area Diagram.
(Simon attended the 21 July workshop, and the 22 July meeting with the developer).
The CAD version of the
Indicative Area Diagram showing the numerical information,
The
original TIFF version of the AutoCAD diagram
(you may have to select "Open this file from its current location").
A
hand-drawn area diagram showing some of the thinking behind this arrangement.
(drawn up by Adam based on Simon's outputs).
Our "Design Brief"
Paula Jorgensen has put together a draft of a summary "Design Brief" for
Merry Cohousing on 246 Stewart Street site.
Download
brief02.rtf - an RTF version.
We are seeking expressions of interest from architects who could prepare
a Development Application for us, to be completed in three months.
Initially, we'd like just an indication of who is available, and
then we'll conduct interviews (probably the week beginning 6 August).
The architect must be available to start work with us immediately.
Site criteria and other possible sites
Go to our Site Possibilities page for detailed information on
our site selection process and criteria, and a list of other possible sites for Merri Cohousing.
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