FOOD & DESIRE - CAROUSEL, ALBERT PARK

The Carousel function centre, a very successful operation since 2005, occupies a prime location on the lakefront at Albert Park under a 21 year Crown Land lease. 

Food & Desire, the proprietors, engaged Monto Projects in 2016 to compile and author a submission for the Carousel redevelopment to Parks Victoria; as the first step to enable a direct negotiation of a new 21-year Crown Land lease.

 Monto Projects successfully navigated the complex process which included stakeholder engagement, alignment to the new Albert Park master-plan which was being developed in parallel and a change to the DELWP crown leasing guidelines halfway through the process; which added focus to community benefits and no loss of green open space.  All the required steps have been completed with successful Ministerial sign-off and gazetting of the submission at state parliament in May 2019.

Monto Projects developed the key strategy allowing for the expansion of the Carousel and a brand new cafe.  The strategy satisfied both the requirements of the crown leasing guidelines and the new master plan.

The brief from Food and Desire; the development is to be ‘world class’. The strategy includes celebrating the park and lake by a roof top terrace for 360 deg views accessible by both function/cafe users and general public.

Monto Projects are now working with Food and Desire on the lease details and further implementation of the development which will include full design, town planning and delivery; due for completion in 2021.

Images by Monto Projects