Developers behind a new luxury townhouse plan for a prominent old house in Thirroul have gone back to council seeking to remove a condition that a sandstone wall at the front of the property be retained.
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Some Thirroul residents said the wall's preservation was a small victory after demolition of the house called The Gables on Lawrence Hargrave Drive was approved. They said the dry sandstone wall, built in the 1940s, was an important piece of local history in the streetscape.
"The existing dry sandstone wall shall be retained in its original height and form except where the new pedestrian and driveway openings are located," council's condition states.
But building company Develop My land has asked Wollongong City Council to remove the condition it be kept, saying "it has become apparent that it is not possible" to retain it as is.
This was because openings such as driveways could not be cut into it and it would need to be tiered, and a construction area would require some blocks to be removed.
It seeks permission to temporarily remove some blocks where necessary, and rebuild the wall to its original height and form after construction is finished, apart from the new openings.
The application is open for public comment via Wollongong City Council.
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Ben Langford
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
Senior journalist writing on the environment. Opinion columnist, independent. We rely on your news tips so please, don't be shy to let us know what's going on.
