Curtain set to fall on Witches in Britches site as councillors weigh office plan

A prominent West Melbourne corner long associated with the iconic Witches in Britches theatre restaurant is set to face a major transformation, with councillors next week to consider plans for a new four-storey office development on the site.

The proposal for 78-86 Dudley St, at the corner of King and Dudley streets, is due to go before the City of Melbourne’s Future Melbourne Committee on March 17, with planning officers recommending that a permit be granted.

If approved, the development would require the demolition of the existing building, best known for housing Witches in Britches, the long-running theatre restaurant that has occupied the site for decades and became a distinctive local landmark through its gothic, castle-like appearance.

The application, lodged by JD 78 Dudley Pty Ltd and designed by architecture firm Carr, proposes a four-storey commercial building comprising 1683 sqms of office space and 715 sqms for a ground-floor food and drink premises.

Plans also include two basement levels providing 22 car parking spaces, accessed via the rear laneway. The development has an estimated construction cost of $13.5 million.

In December 2022, the building was sold for $7. 288 million following an expressions of interest campaign, ending nearly three decades under the same ownership. At the time, JLL agent Tim Carr said the purchaser had been drawn to the site’s location within what he called a “true growth precinct within Melbourne’s fringe”.

That sale cast uncertainty over the future of Witches in Britches, which first opened as a family-run business in 1990 and built a loyal following over many years. The venue had also survived both the COVID-19 pandemic and a 2006 fire that caused around $600,000 worth of damage but left no-one injured.

Speaking at the time of the sale, business owner Maurizio Termine said the new owners had made clear “they’re not interested in the building, they’re interested in the land”.

While the current application does not dwell on the cultural history of the site, council officers acknowledge that the proposal would replace the theatre restaurant use with new office and hospitality spaces considered more aligned with the strategic direction for the area.

According to the council’s planning report, the site sits within a mixed-use zone and is affected by several heritage and design-related planning controls. Officers say the proposed use and built form are appropriate, subject to conditions requiring further refinement to upper-level setbacks and rooftop elements.

The building is proposed to rise to the mandatory height limit of 14 metres, with rooftop structures including a terrace, open pergola and service rooms extending to 17.4 metres.

Council officers concluded that, with conditions, the development responds appropriately to the Melbourne Planning Scheme.

“Subject to permit conditions addressing transitional built form and rooftop setbacks, the proposed use and development respond appropriately to the relevant provisions of the Melbourne Planning Scheme,” the report states.

One of the key matters examined during assessment was overshadowing of Flagstaff Gardens, located to the east of the site. According to officers, the proposal would cast some shadow over the park, but only for a limited period between 2.30pm and 3pm on the winter solstice.

The report found that the extent and duration of the overshadowing would not unreasonably affect the use of the gardens. Public notice of the application attracted two objections.

If the project proceeds, it would mark the end of an era for one of West Melbourne’s more unusual and recognisable buildings, while adding another commercial development to the western edge of the CBD near Flagstaff Gardens. •