![Labor's Lord Mayoral candidate Tania Brown has called on developer Level 33 to start work on the CBD's WIN Grand development. Labor's Lord Mayoral candidate Tania Brown has called on developer Level 33 to start work on the CBD's WIN Grand development.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/4FavSveeQdYEHssZq5umRQ/532937e6-6dac-4a7f-86b4-14b90a298a03.jpg/r0_0_2400_1349_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A reported five-year target to start construction on WIN Grand "lacks ambition", according to Labor Lord Mayoral candidate Tania Brown said.
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Cr Brown also saw the development as a way to address the city's housing target set by the state government.
Though developer Level 33's Eddy Haddad suggested WIN Grand would start before then.
The massive CBD development was recently sold by WIN TV boss Bruce Gordon to Sydney Level 33, which has a strong presence in Wollongong.
The development, which will take up the city block bordered by Crown, Keira, Atchison and Burelli streets, includes three buildings holding a total of 402 apartments.
When the sale was announced in March, Level 33 director Mr Haddad said they would add the WIN Grand development to its list of projects already in the pipeline.
"Level 33 jointly has 3200 homes in the pipeline in the Illawarra and more than 5000 homes in its broader portfolio to deliver over the next five years," Mr Haddad said at the time.
Cr Brown noted the suggestion of the five-year time-frame for work to begin on WIN Grand said this "lacks ambition".
"It is too long to wait and I'm urging Level 33 to bring forward their plans to help rejuvenate the CBD and assist the city meet the 9200 [dwelling] housing target set for Wollongong," Cr Brown said.
"The prime CBD location of this $450 million project means it will play a lead role in determining Wollongong's future and we cannot afford to sit passively and wait for an undetermined time on when the project will commence."
With the project approved in 2023, Cr Brown said "we want to see this exciting project get off the ground".
"This site is too important to delay and I will be seeking a meeting with Level 33 to encourage them to review their priorities and bring this critical project forward and start construction," she said.
Mr Haddad said the idea of a five-year time frame referred to a broad range of Level 33 projects, and not solely WIN Grand.
"Level 33 is dedicated to contributing to the housing sector in the Illawarra," Mr Haddad said.
"We have a portfolio of over 3200 homes that we plan to deliver across a five-year time frame, with strategically acquired properties in the Wollongong CBD close to transport, hospitals, and educational institutions. WIN Grand falls into that time frame.
"We are excited about bringing this transformative Wollongong CBD project to life and have started engaging consultants to review the WIN Grand designs.
"We look forward to updating the local Illawarra community on the progress and announcing it in due course.
"Beyond WIN Grand, we are optimistic about securing development approval for over 250 units at 357 Crown Street, Wollongong, in the coming months which will add to the stock available once it is for sale.