29 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Client: Royal Sands Properties Pty Ltd
Project type: Mixed use (apartments, pub, refurbishment)
Stakeholders: City of Merri-bek, local community
Value: $19 million
Image courtesy of JCB Architects
The project
Established in 1854, the Sarah Sands Hotel is a heritage building named after a steam ship that sailed the world, landing in Melbourne during its Gold Rush age. Rumoured to be on board the ship was the hotel’s original licensee, Robert Barry, who commissioned the original build.
Sitting in a prominent location on the corner of Sydney and Brunswick Roads, the hotel has been a landmark on the city’s gateway. Its history has had many chapters over the years – and from the mid 1990s, it was known as Bridie O’Reilly’s, an Irish pub with a somewhat colourful reputation.
In the mid 2010s, the site was acquired by a developer with the intention of transforming it into a new mixed use building that would truly befit its location. Jackson Clements Burrows Architects was engaged to design the redevelopment, and shortly after, UPco was brought on board to assist with the planning.
Established in 1854, the Sarah Sands Hotel is a heritage building named after a steam ship that sailed the world, landing in Melbourne during its Gold Rush age. Rumoured to be on board the ship was the hotel’s original licensee, Robert Barry, who commissioned the original build.
Sitting in a prominent location on the corner of Sydney and Brunswick Roads, the hotel has been a landmark on the city’s gateway. Its history has had many chapters over the years – and from the mid 1990s, it was known as Bridie O’Reilly’s, an Irish pub with a somewhat colourful reputation.
In the mid 2010s, the site was acquired by a developer with the intention of transforming it into a new mixed use building that would truly befit its location. Jackson Clements Burrows Architects was engaged to design the redevelopment, and shortly after, UPco was brought on board to assist with the planning.
The challenge
The proposed design cleverly made the most of the battle-axe shaped block, retaining and refurbishing the hotel, and transforming the former beer garden into a 7-storey building with 31 apartments and a ground floor food and beverage offering. However, gaining approval for the transformation wasn’t completely straightforward.
One challenge was the neighbours. Given the building’s previous life as a somewhat unsavoury Irish pub, some neighbours were opposed to any type of food and beverage offering remaining operational at the site. Meanwhile, others objected to the proposed height of the new residential building, and there were concerns about the residential acoustics (namely, noise from the pub below).
As part of the planning process, a Heritage Impact Statement was also commissioned, and this identified considerations that needed to be made during the redevelopment, such as the conservation of façade elements and part of the original roof. Yet, while the proposed design satisfied these requirements, Council still initially rejected our application, and it went before VCAT.
One challenge was the neighbours. Given the building’s previous life as a somewhat unsavoury Irish pub, some neighbours were opposed to any type of food and beverage offering remaining operational at the site. Meanwhile, others objected to the proposed height of the new residential building, and there were concerns about the residential acoustics (namely, noise from the pub below).
As part of the planning process, a Heritage Impact Statement was also commissioned, and this identified considerations that needed to be made during the redevelopment, such as the conservation of façade elements and part of the original roof. Yet, while the proposed design satisfied these requirements, Council still initially rejected our application, and it went before VCAT.
The outcome
After some compromises were made (such as removing one storey of apartments and a proposed third-floor outdoor terrace from the plans), planning approval was granted. From there, multiple amendments were made – but Merri-bek City Council was very supportive throughout this process.
Completed in 2020, the Sarah Sands Hotel reclaimed its original name, and reopened as a more refined and sophisticated gastro pub, attracting a new crowd to the area. The mixed use building in the pub’s former beer garden is a great addition to the local area, offering high quality housing plus a new food providore for the whole neighbourhood to enjoy.
Completed in 2020, the Sarah Sands Hotel reclaimed its original name, and reopened as a more refined and sophisticated gastro pub, attracting a new crowd to the area. The mixed use building in the pub’s former beer garden is a great addition to the local area, offering high quality housing plus a new food providore for the whole neighbourhood to enjoy.