Located at 14-18 Auburn Street, the land has sat empty for about 15 years, with developers proposing several different buildings, including a technical college, affordable housing tower and various mixed-use complexes.

Most recently, in December last year, the Joint Regional Planning Panel ruled that a 15-storey complex with 79 apartments could be built on the site.

However, according to plans submitted by MMJ, on behalf of architecture firm Level 33, "recent real estate conditions" call for a different mix of apartments and commercial space.

The proposed building would house two ground-floor commercial tenants and eight levels of residential apartments, with 13 one-bedroom, 65 two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom units.

There would also be three levels of basement parking and storage, with 99 car spaces, six motorcycle spaces and 20 bicycle spots.

The planners say the new development would provide a variety of housing types and cater to "the varying demographics of the neighbourhood and the growing population of the area".

"The increased density afforded by the development will serve to attract more people to the area and increase patronage of the local retail, restaurant, educational and commercial facilities," the documents say.

The developers say the building "generally complies" with Wollongong's development controls and should be approved.

However, they have asked the council to vary its usual requirements for building separations and setbacks, as they say the land is already separated from other development by roads on three sides and a drainage line.

"The urban design approach adopted for this proposal is a deliberate response to the site's characteristics ... [so] it is considered that strict compliance with noted development standards is both unreasonable and unnecessary."

After the Auburn Street land was cleared more than a decade ago, the Howard government lodged plans to build a technical college on the site. However, this was axed when Kevin Rudd was elected in 2007 and the site was sold by the NSW Department of Education in 2012.

Before the plans for the college surfaced in 2006, the empty block - which once housed Civic Video - changed hands four times in five years, and was approved for a 10-storey, 49-unit block, including a commercial shopfront.

The new plans are on exhibition through Wollongong City Council's website until July 10.

kmcilwain@fairfaxmedia.com.au