A proposed four-storey development at Fairy Meadow could see up to five business premises demolished.
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One of them was only added after a meeting with Wollongong City Council's design review panel.
The development application lodged with council shows the proposed building footprint in a dog-leg shape, with frontages on the Princes Highway and Daisy Street.
It would feature 36 apartments with three ground-floor commercial spaces and basement parking for 60 cars.
The construction would require the demolition of buildings that house a number of local businesses, including Harley and Johns Seafood, an optometrist, a butcher and a blinds retailer.
The Princes Highway frontage would sit alongside the existing Woolworths, while on Daisy Street it would be next to the supermarket car park.
"The site is located within an existing commercially orientated area that contains a mix of uses, including business, office, retail and community uses, and newly developed high density residential/shop-top housing developments in a high-profile and highly accessible location," the development application stated.
The council's design review panel expressed concern about the original plans, suggesting the Daisy Street frontage was too narrow to accommodate retail and pedestrian and vehicle access to the apartments.
With that in mind, the developers added the butcher's premises at 9 Daisy Street into the plan "to remove the potential creation of an isolated block".
"The addition of 9 Daisy Street enabled the complete redesign of the proposed development, allowing the apartment building type to change to tower apartments (podium) type," the application said.
While anecdotal evidence suggests this section of the highway can become congested, a traffic study submitted as part of the development application stated the introduction of 36 apartments would not make traffic worse.
"Upon completion of the proposed development, the performance of the Daisy Street and Princes Highway intersection will be maintained at the existing level of service," the study claimed.
"The intersection will continue to operate effectively and there will be no adverse traffic impacts as a result of the proposed development."
The development application is on exhibition until November 9.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
