Wollongong's WIN Grand development to include 402 apartments

The proposal, the brainchild of WIN Corp boss Bruce Gordon includes three residential buildings holding 402 apartments.

The project's development director Steven Turner said as the project was only at the early development application stage, the finishes and detailed designs of the apartments were yet to be finalised.

Read more: WIN Grand block-wide Wollongong CBD development impresses some

"We're looking at where the market opportunity is, and then benchmarking ourselves against what is in the current market today, and what is being viewed as best in class at any price point," he said.

"We want to be offering an attractive address in which to live.

"We're looking at the likes of Signature and Avantè across the road as our peers.

"They're great developments in the city centre, they were highly sought-after and sold very well, and have some similar characteristics in terms of views and the like.

"Those developments have established a new benchmark for quality residential apartment design in the city centre."

Mr Turner said it was in the interests of both the developer and community that there was a diversity of residential options across the precinct.

"We've broken the stock up into three distinct buildings; they'll have their own personality, their own design levels," he said.

"So we want to get a spread of pricing and a spread of apartment types and finishes, so we'll appeal to a broad cross-section of the market.

Read more: One of the WIN Grand towers is just too tall

"It will be subject to the assessment of the DA and if there's any changes required to the building configuration or the like. But it's the intention that we have a very good spread across one, two and three-bedroom apartments."

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said taking into consideration the cost of the development and the developer's need for a return on investment, he said it would be a "challenge" to find opportunities for affordable housing within the project.

"But I think it has to be considered as part of the mix," he said.

Mr Turner said the apartment buildings will feature private rooftop areas with "amazing" views, as well as meeting rooms and common facilities.

"We've also had a closer look at people's ability to work in their apartment and communicate from their apartment," he said.

"So (that means looking at) the return of study nooks or small offices so people can work from home, now that we're all accustomed to that."

Mr Turner said the residential component of the project was a response to a lifestyle shift that had emerged within the Wollongong CBD during recent years.

"I think you saw the city start to change demonstrably seven or eight years ago, when apartment approvals and sales leapt from 100-200 apartments per year to 700-800 apartments a year," he said.

"People rediscovered the benefits of living in a city centre, and having access to that amenity. And with that wave, you saw all the bars, cafes and restaurants open.

"Money was being spent in the city centre, and people realised that it was an attractive place to live and work without having to do the commute.

"People are opting to move now into the city centre to get closer to all of that amenity."

The WIN Grand project has also set the aim of being the city's first carbon-neutral precinct.

The certification will relate to the operation of the apartment and commercial components, not their construction.

Mr Turner believed the carbon-neutral accreditation could act as a selling point for the apartment complexes.