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UniLodge Melbourne Central

293-303 La Trobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Generated 8 November 2026
Student accommodation · Student Accommodation
146 mheight
46floors
2023completed
0businesses
10permits

Development milestones

Planning application2015Planning application TPM-2015-11/B lodged
ApprovedBy 2021Planning permit granted (exact date not recorded)
Construction startedFeb 2021First major construction permit issued
First occupantsFeb 2023First occupancy permit issued
CompletedBy Feb 2023UniLodge Melbourne Central completed: 46 floors

Building team

Developer
Cedar Pacific
Architect
Nettletontribe
Builder
Icon Co
Co-owner or investor
CBRE Investment Management
Building manager
UniLodge

Planning & subdivision

Zone
CCZ1
Overlays
DDO1, DDO10, PO1
Strata plan
TP320590 · 1 lots
Scores
🚆 9 · ☕ 9 · 🌳 7 · ✨ 10

Timeline

2024Council census records it as student accommodation, 48 floors
Name recorded: The Duke of Kent Hotel
Feb 2023First occupancy permit issued
Derived from City of Melbourne building permits
Feb 2023Cedar Pacific and CBRE joint venture complete UniLodge Melbourne Central student tower
The Cedar Pacific Accommodation Trust and its joint-venture partner CBRE Investment Management completed two student accommodation towers, including the 46-storey, 714-bed UniLodge Melbourne Central at 293-303 La Trobe Street.
By Feb 2023UniLodge Melbourne Central completed: 46 floors
Derived from IREI
20232 building permits and 7 certificates · about $520k of new works
Largest: Stage 3 - Vertical Core L12 to Roof; Columns, Stairs, Walls, and PT Slabs L13 to L42
2022Council census records it as unoccupied - under construction, 39 floors
Name recorded: The Duke of Kent Hotel
20221 building permit
Largest: Stage 5 – Deletion of Damper Tanks from Level 44; and Miscellaneous Steelwork for Roof LMR Access Steelwork & Level 1 Glazing Steelwork
By 2021Planning permit granted (exact date not recorded)
Derived from City of Melbourne Development Activity Monitor
Feb 2021First major construction permit issued
Derived from City of Melbourne building permits
20212 building permits · about $105.5m of new works
Largest: Stage 2 - Sertical core structure; and suspended slabs from ground up to level 12 (structural only)
20201 certificate · about $458k of new works
Largest: Demolition of a Three Storey Commercial Building & a Two Storey Commercial Building
Oct 2018Figtree sells 293-303 La Trobe Street site for $35 million
Figtree Holdings sold the 293-303 La Trobe Street site for $35 million, almost twice the $17.4 million it paid for the site, which included the Duke of Kent hotel bought for $14.1 million. The article said Figtree had won a permit for a 44-storey tower with 214 flats, and that the buyer was reported to be an offshore student accommodation provider.
2018Council census records it as unoccupied - under renovation, 3 floors
Name recorded: The Duke of Kent Hotel
20171 building permit · about $76.2m of new works
Largest: Proposed Residential Development Consisting of 378 Dwellings and Ancillary Car Parking - Fire Alarm and Monitoring Disconnection
2015Planning application TPM-2015-11/B lodged
Derived from City of Melbourne Development Activity Monitor
Jul 2015Figtree proposes 66-level residential tower on Duke of Kent Hotel site
Figtree La Trobe Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Singapore's Figtree Holdings, proposed a 66-level residential tower of about 213 metres with 370 apartments on 293-303 La Trobe Street. The scheme would have demolished the Duke of Kent Hotel, which the company had bought in 2014 and amalgamated with 301-303 La Trobe Street. The proposal was designed by DKO Architecture.
2014Council census records it as entertainment/recreation - indoor, 3 floors
Name recorded: The Duke of Kent Hotel
20121 certificate · about $18k of new works
Largest: New smoking terrace, Duke of Kent Hotel, Lot 1&2.
20051 building permit · about $100k of new works
Largest: Change use from accommodation to bar 1st Floor
20021 building permit · about $400k of new works
Largest: Alterations to existing Hotel. Ground & first floor. 293 La Trobe Street, Melbourne.
2002First council census entry: entertainment/recreation - indoor, 3 floors
20001 building permit · about $5k of new works
Largest: installation of bi-fold doors to hotel. Duke of kent hotel.

Building permits and certificates (18)

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.

20 Dec 2023Ground Floor - G18, 301 La Trobe Street - Construction of an internal shop fitout (City Mart Melbourne)$50k
02 Nov 2023Ground Floor - G18, 301 La Trobe Street - Construction of an internal shop fitout (City Mart Melbourne)$50k
16 June 2023SHOP G15, G16, G17 - proposed alterations to existing retail$470k
24 Feb 2023Stage 6 – Architectural & Façade for Level 13 - Level 43; and Balustrades$104.3m
09 Feb 2023Stage 1B - Vertical Core Structure to Level 5 (Only)$105.2m
09 Feb 2023Stage 1 - New Student Accommodation. Excavation, piling, retention, capping beam, pile caps and raft slab.$103.6m
09 Feb 2023Stage 3 - Vertical Core L12 to Roof; Columns, Stairs, Walls, and PT Slabs L13 to L42$105.5m
09 Feb 2023Stage 4 – Services to Level 12; and Podium Façade (Levels 2-11)$105.5m
09 Feb 2023Stage 7 - L43 to Roof PT Slabs; Remaining Facades to G-L1, L12,44-Roof; and Sky Signage$0
03 Oct 2022Stage 5 – Deletion of Damper Tanks from Level 44; and Miscellaneous Steelwork for Roof LMR Access Steelwork & Level 1 Glazing Steelwork$105.5m
14 May 2021Stage 2 - Sertical core structure; and suspended slabs from ground up to level 12 (structural only)$105.2m
10 Feb 2021Variation to Stage 1 including vertical core structure to level 3 (only) and suspended PT slabs to basement mezzanine and ground floor (only)$105.2m
01 July 2020Demolition of a Three Storey Commercial Building & a Two Storey Commercial Building$458k
16 Oct 2017Proposed Residential Development Consisting of 378 Dwellings and Ancillary Car Parking - Fire Alarm and Monitoring Disconnection$76.2m
15 Aug 2012New smoking terrace, Duke of Kent Hotel, Lot 1&2.$18k
23 Sept 2005Change use from accommodation to bar 1st Floor$100k
26 Aug 2002Alterations to existing Hotel. Ground & first floor. 293 La Trobe Street, Melbourne.$400k
04 Dec 2000installation of bi-fold doors to hotel. Duke of kent hotel.$5k

Questions and answers

Is UniLodge Melbourne Central residential or commercial?
UniLodge Melbourne Central is student accommodation. The City of Melbourne lists its main use as student accommodation.

When was UniLodge Melbourne Central built?
UniLodge Melbourne Central was completed in 2023.

How many floors does UniLodge Melbourne Central have?
UniLodge Melbourne Central has 46 floors above ground.

Does UniLodge Melbourne Central have hotel or student accommodation?
The City of Melbourne records 714 student beds at UniLodge Melbourne Central.

Who designed and built UniLodge Melbourne Central?
Cedar Pacific developed UniLodge Melbourne Central, Nettletontribe designed it and Icon Co built it. The building team section has the sources.

How tall is UniLodge Melbourne Central?
About 146 metres, measured from the City of Melbourne's 3D building model. It's number 64 of 1596 buildings in Melbourne by height.

What public transport is near UniLodge Melbourne Central?
Melbourne Central Station is the nearest train station, about 3 minutes' walk. The nearest tram stop is Melbourne Central Station/La Trobe St #5, about 1 minute's walk.

What is the planning zone for UniLodge Melbourne Central?
The site is in the Capital City Zone - Schedule 1 (CCZ1).

Does UniLodge Melbourne Central have an owners corporation?
Plan of subdivision TP320590 has 1 lot.

Has any work been done on UniLodge Melbourne Central recently?
The City of Melbourne has issued 10 building permits for UniLodge Melbourne Central since 2000. The most recent was in November 2023.

Sources: City of Melbourne building permits (CC BY 4.0); CLUE building information (CC BY 4.0); CLUE business establishments (CC BY 4.0); CLUE residential dwellings (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.

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