There could be a second boarding house on a Gwynneville street if a development application is approved.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Design Workshop Australia has submitted an application for an 11-room boarding house, a manager’s room, dining, living and kitchen areas, laundry, three car parking spaces and outdoor communal areas at 8 Gwynne Street.
The site is located near the Wollongong Botanic Gardens and the University of Wollongong.
If approved, the building would be adjacent to another boarding house that was approved in 2013 by the Land and Environment Court.
Primus Dms Pty Ltd submitted plans to build a 33-bed boarding house at 6 Gwynne Street.
Neighbouring residents objected to the proposal at the time because they feared the house would lead to a loss of privacy, increase in noise levels and would detract from the family-friendly atmosphere in the street.
The immediate neighbours at the time were worried a floodgate would open for more boarding houses in their neighbourhood.
According to the latest census figures on homelessness, there were 166 people in the Illawarra living in boarding houses, with 89 of those people living in inner-Wollongong.
A plan for management was prepared along with the development application for 8 Gwynne Street.
The report states a manager will ensure house rules are adhered to and that “noise from the boarding house does not unreasonably impact upon surrounding residents and neighbours”.
Residents will not be allowed to interfere with the “reasonable peace, comfort and privacy of other residents and neighbouring properties”.
Tenants will be required to submit an application, identification and verification checks. All tenants will be screened through the National Tenancy Database, criminal record, employment and reference checks.
One person will live in each boarding room. Under the house rules, residents will be required to maintain their rooms in a clean manner and they must not intentionally or recklessly damage or destroy any part of their rooms or the facility.
Alcohol and drugs are strictly prohibited from being consumed in the boarding house.
The house will be accessible at all times but the outdoor communal areas will be available for occupants to use between 7.30am and 10pm seven days a week.
Any visitors will be accompanied at all times by an occupant of the boarding house. Visitors are only permitted on-site between 7:30am and 10:00pm, 7 days a week. Entry to the boarding house will require swipe card access.
The external facade of the building will be brick with aluminium-look timber louvres, Colorbond roofing and aluminium framed windows and doors.
The development will consist of three off-street car parking spaces and seven bicycle spaces on Gwynne Street.
If the application is approved, the existing single-story house and trees will be demolished and removed.
Submissions close November 7. The development application can be viewed via the council’s website.
