Bennetts Lane in Melbourne CBD presented a rare convergence of inner-city development challenges: extreme site constraints, retained heritage fabric, significant archaeological works and a complex construction program. Successfully navigating these conditions required a development management approach that was both strategic and deeply hands-on.

Acting as Development Manager on behalf of their Joint Venture partners, Pellicano, The Perri Group played a decisive role in shaping outcomes, overseeing delivery, actively managing risk, sequencing and commercial strategy, guiding the project from early demolition through to completion. This included procuring and delivering a design that responded to the JV partners’ ambitions while meeting feasibility, cost and programme targets on one of the city’s most constrained urban sites.

That remit translated into a highly hands-on approach, allowing risks to be identified early and decisions to be made at pace. “We managed the demolition of the existing buildings directly with the demolition subcontractor, and procured and managed the archaeological investigation onsite, including the discovery and management of approximately 100,000 artefacts,” explained Senior Development Manager Marc James.

Perri Group also formed and led the design team, driving design responses aligned to the development brief, while self-managing basement construction and structural foundations directly with Delta Group. Once the substructure was complete, Perri Group facilitated the agreement with build partner Hacer and worked collaboratively to ensure successful construction and delivery.
In parallel, the team oversaw a major shift in building use, implementing a strategic evolution of use for around 40% of the tower. Levels 2 to 6 were further developed away from commercial office floors and into 113 premium finish, high-quality short and long term stay apartments – the final details of which are soon to be announced publicly. An adaptive strategy that strengthened commercial performance and long-term relevance.

Staying on programme and within budget required close collaboration and agile decision-making. “Partnering with a builder who can collaboratively work with us through a value management process was extremely important,” Marc says. “Having an agile and nimble development team ensured challenges were successfully navigated with the support of our build, design and financial partners.”

From a construction perspective, site logistics presented significant challenges. With less than 25m of street frontage on Little Lonsdale Street, simultaneous crane loading and concrete pumping using semi-trailers was not feasible, placing pressure on loading operations.

To overcome this, the project team implemented an innovative top-down slab construction solution at ground level, internal to the site and parallel to the crane loading bay. Constructed prior to basement excavation, the slab widened the loading area and created a dedicated concrete pump zone, allowing crane operations to continue on pour days and saving several weeks on the program while reducing noise and vibration impacts.

Heritage retention added another layer of complexity. During works, the existing retained façade wall was found to be in poor condition, necessitating a brick-for-brick demolition and reconstruction to match the original detailing, ensuring its longevity well into the future.

Quality control was underpinned by early trade engagement and a rigorous approvals process, with major trades appointed ahead of site works and weekly site walks ensuring alignment with design intent throughout delivery.

For Perri Group, the finished result speaks for itself. “The final product of Bennetts Lane and its unique and unparalleled presence amongst the Melbourne skyline is undoubtedly what we are most proud of,” Marc said.

In a city where space is scarce and expectations are high, Bennetts Lane stands as an example of disciplined development management and collaborative delivery in action.

For more information contact Perri Group, phone 03 8609 9060, email info@perri-group.com, website www.perri-group.com