Another prominent historic Thirroul home is set for the wrecking ball, with plans in to demolish "The Gables" on Lawrence Hargrave Dr.
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Known as the "Your and Owls house", the 1953 brick residence at 342-344 Lawrence Hargrave Dr is known for its garage door mural saying "Thank God for the Beatles" and for being the base where the successful Yours and Owls music promotion business first thrived.
A company called Illawarra Property Holdings has applied to demolish the house and build three townhouses on the site. The company is owned by Austinmer builder Mark Forte, of Genesis Building, and Austinmer developer Steven Hughes, the man behind the company Develop My Land.
The plans lodged describe a non-compliance with floor space ratio regulations, as well as an encroachment into the rear setback requirements for private open space, and a bid to vary the rules for front and side setbacks, which are also non-compliant.
The application states that the floor space ratio is only 2 percentage points beyond the required ratio of 0.75:1 - it is 0.77.6:1, and says this the variation is minor. But it also says if the developer was forced to comply with floor space rules then "it would not be economically viable to construct the development".
It says the three-storey townhouses are appropriate for the site, which is close to transport and shops.
When the property was purchased in 2018 for about $1.2 million, after 30 years under one owner, the selling agent said the buyer planned to hold it as a long-term investment for the long-term capital gain.
The application is on exhibition via Wollongong City Council.