An 11-storey apartment block could join the growing number of high rises sprouting up in Wollongong's CBD, 19 years after consent for a multi-storey residential building was first granted.
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Wollongong City Council has received a revised development application for a shop-top project at 116-122 Corrimal Street, between Market and Crown streets.
Under the proposal, existing buildings between the Harp Hotel and the 10-storey Adina Apartment Hotel - which house a surveying consultancy, real estate business, an Anytime Fitness gym, Litani's Mediterranean - would be demolished.
In their place a building containing 81 residential apartments over 10 levels, two commercial tenancies on the ground floor, and three levels of basement parking would go up.
The residential units would consist of nine one-bedroom apartments, 34 two-bedroom apartments, and 38 three-bedroom apartments, with 16 capable of adapting for elderly or disabled residents.
The application says it will provide "much-needed affordable and high-density residential development", but does not specify how many units will be designated as affordable housing.
There would be communal open space on the ground level and level 10, including landscaped garden, a grassed area, two pools, an indoor communal room, and an outdoor dining area.
Development consent for a mixed-use building containing 63 apartments was first granted in October 2004, giving permission for the demolition of existing buildings on the site.
The new landowner submitted a new application last year, which attracted 23 submissions in opposition and one in support of the proposal.
Issues raised in these submissions included the scale of the development, loss of neighbourhood amenity, loss of views from neighbouring buildings, insufficient car parks, and design, among others.
The council also raised numerous issues with the proposal, including architectural design, noise, and energy and water efficiency.
In response, the developers have made a number of changes to the plans, including a reduction in the number of apartments from 83 to 81, an extra level of car parking, and changes to screens for visual privacy.
Building separation and height were also flagged as concerns, and last year the council advised that "significant design issues prevent council from supporting the proposal in its current form", including the building height.
The height of the building has been reduced by one storey but it still exceeds local planning controls which cap the maximum height at 24 metres.
The development application said the neighbouring Adina Apartment Hotel already exceeded the limit, and adhering to it across the building site would require a stepped arrangement, which would lead to "undesirable built form outcome".
The revised proposal also did not comply with building separation controls, but the application said it was "justifiable as the setbacks proposed do not create any unreasonable impacts on adjoining sites in terms of visual impact, disruption of views nor loss of privacy".
The application is on public exhibition via the council's website until April 18.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
