The Flemington Development Company has proposed a 27-storey residential tower, branded Equinox Flemington, at the site of the former Racecourse Tavern Hotel in Ascot Vale.

The 91-metre tower would include more than 350 apartments, two restaurants and two cafes.

In April, Moonee Valley Council reached a rare agreement to use the PDP as a consultant but still maintain full control as planning authority.

The council also commissioned a report on the proposal by independent consultant McGauran Giannini Soon.

The PDP's concept appraisal, released last week, raises several design issues with the plan and calls for a "design workshop" between the council and a "revised and broadened proponent project team".

The report states that, given the right design, the site could accommodate a development of "around 20 storeys".

With regard to the project vision being to deliver "best practice in terms of environmental sustainability", the report is damning. It states: "The working group is unconvinced of the level of sophistication and quality of supporting information and evidence provided by the project team ... the proponent appears to lack the experience in delivering a development of this scale and level of design complexity."

The McGauran report recommends a reduced height of 10-14 storeys for the tower, with scope for 16 levels if "design excellence" is achieved.

Flemington Development Company director Tony Vippond said the comments on the environmental efforts were unexpected.

"For once you've got a developer who is prepared to set the [environmental] benchmark and we are getting asked to alter that design.

"Without a doubt we will have to redo the plans.

"[But] the reality is once you are over a particular height it really doesn't matter to people.

"I think the 27 storeys doesn't really impact on anyone."