That's Built · Building report

Council House 2

218-242 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Generated 8 November 2026
Commercial · Office

50 mheight

10floors

2006completed

5businesses

9permits

Development milestones

Completed

2006

Council House 2 completed: 10 floors

Building team

Developer: City of Melbourne
Services engineer: WSP
Architect: DesignInc
Architect: Mick Pearce
Builder: Hansen Yuncken
Structural engineer: Bonacci Group
Services engineer: Lincolne Scott
Owner: City of Melbourne
Owner: City of Melbourne

Planning & subdivision

Zone: CCZ2
Overlays: DDO1, DDO2, DDO2-A1, PO2
Strata plan: PS524242 · 1 lots
Scores: 🚆 9 · ☕ 7 · 🌳 7 · ✨ 10

Timeline

20261 building permit · about $27k of new works
Largest: Partial upgrade of fire services to existing mix-use building (Council House 2): Fire hydrant and sprinklers (level 10) and smoke detection

20251 certificate · about $2k of new works
Largest: Installation of alarm signalling equipment

20231 building permit · about $29k of new works
Largest: Made in error - number to be reused BP-2023-133

20221 building permit and 1 certificate · about $1.0m of new works
Largest: Test - BP-2023-306

27 Jul 2019City of Melbourne seeks expressions of interest for CH2 chilled ceiling works
The City of Melbourne called for expressions of interest, published 27 July 2019 and closing 9 August 2019, for a second stage of works to reinstate the building's chilled ceiling system. The scope included removing redundant plant, refurbishing chilled ceiling panels, replacing chilled water pipework and modifying chilled and condenser water controls.

20171 building permit · about $167k of new works
Largest: Levels 1 - 9 - replacement of carpet on levels 3 & 4 and replacement of vinyl on levels 1-9

20161 building permit · about $16k of new works
Largest: Shop 1 - Reinstate building works performed without a Building Permit

20102 certificates
Largest: Retail Fitout - Melbourne Opal Centre, Tenancy 6 only.

2009Council census records it as office, 10 floors
Name recorded: Council House 2

20091 building permit · about $44k of new works
Largest: Retail Fitout - Melbourne Opal Centre, Tenancy 6 only. Stage 2: Ammendments to architectural and services works

8 Apr 2008Building magazine feature on CH2's environmental design and daylight challenges
A Building magazine article described CH2 as a six-star Green Star building and noted that natural light penetration on the lower floors of the 10-storey scheme was a challenge for the architect, Mick Pearce. The architect said that dark furniture, carpeting and partitioning had increased perceptions of a lack of light.

29 Jan 2008Building magazine feature on Council House 2 as Australia's greenest office building
Building magazine reported that CH2 was the first building in Australia to achieve six stars under Green Star and was predicted to save the client £500,000 a year in sick leave costs.

2006Council House 2 completed: 10 floors
Derived from Wikidata

20061 building permit · about $250k of new works
Largest: Refurbishment of shop, internal fitout to shop 3.

Apr 2005Council House 2 awarded six-star Green Star rating
Wikipedia reports that Council House 2 became the first purpose-built office building in Australia to achieve a six-star Green Star rating, in April 2005.

2005Council census records it as office, 11 floors
Name recorded: COUNCIL HOUSE 2

2004First council census entry: unoccupied - under construction, 1 floors

1888The site on Mahlstedt's fire insurance plans
See what stood here in 1888, further down this page.

Building permits and certificates (11)

Each cost is the estimate on that record. Stages of a project often repeat its full value, so these don't add up to what was spent.

27 Mar 2026	Partial upgrade of fire services to existing mix-use building (Council House 2): Fire hydrant and sprinklers (level 10) and smoke detection and alarm (Level B2) only.	$27k
21 Nov 2025	Installation of alarm signalling equipment	$2k
11 Jan 2023	Made in error - number to be reused BP-2023-133	$29k
04 Aug 2022	Test - BP-2023-306	$1.0m
28 July 2022	Test. Project Description. Stage number. Stage Description.	$10k
26 June 2017	Levels 1 - 9 - replacement of carpet on levels 3 & 4 and replacement of vinyl on levels 1-9	$167k
18 Mar 2016	Shop 1 - Reinstate building works performed without a Building Permit	$16k
01 Apr 2010	Retail Fitout - Melbourne Opal Centre, Tenancy 6 only.	$44k
01 Apr 2010	Retail Fitout - Melbourne Opal Centre, Tenancy 6 only. Stage 2: Amendment to Stage 1 - architectural and services works	$44k
02 June 2009	Retail Fitout - Melbourne Opal Centre, Tenancy 6 only. Stage 2: Ammendments to architectural and services works	$44k
06 Oct 2006	Refurbishment of shop, internal fitout to shop 3.	$250k

Questions and answers

Is Council House 2 residential or commercial?
Council House 2 is a commercial building. The City of Melbourne lists its main use as office.

When was Council House 2 built?
Council House 2 was completed in 2006.

How many floors does Council House 2 have?
Council House 2 has 10 floors above ground.

What businesses are in Council House 2?
The latest council census counted 5 businesses in Council House 2, including Champagne Problems, City of Melbourne and InStitchu.

Is there office or retail space for lease in Council House 2?
See the commercial listings on this page, or search this address on realcommercial.com.au and commercialrealestate.com.au.

Who designed and built Council House 2?
City of Melbourne developed Council House 2, Mick Pearce designed it and Hansen Yuncken built it. The building team section has the sources.

How tall is Council House 2?
About 50 metres, measured from the City of Melbourne's 3D building model. It's number 301 of 1596 buildings in Melbourne by height.

What public transport is near Council House 2?
Town Hall Station is the nearest train station, about 3 minutes' walk. The nearest tram stop is Swanston St/Bourke St #6, about 1 minute's walk.

What is the planning zone for Council House 2?
The site is in the Capital City Zone - Schedule 2 (CCZ2).

Does Council House 2 have an owners corporation?
Plan of subdivision PS524242 has 1 lot.

Has any work been done on Council House 2 recently?
The City of Melbourne has issued 9 building permits for Council House 2 since 2006. The most recent was in March 2026.

Sources: City of Melbourne building permits (CC BY 4.0); CLUE building information (CC BY 4.0); CLUE business establishments (CC BY 4.0); Development Activity Monitor (CC BY 4.0); Geocoded National Address File (G-NAF) (Open G-NAF EULA (CC BY 4.0 based)). General information from public records, not legal, financial or building advice.