A property developer plans to knock down two houses and replace them with a five-storey, nine-apartment complex in what has been deemed Wollongong's most expensive street for houses.
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Property developer Modco wants to build the complex at 15-17 Blacket Street, North Wollongong.
A development application lodged with Wollongong City Council outlines plans to build nine, three-storey apartments along with two levels of basement parking to hold fifteen cars, plus additional bicycle and motorcycle spaces.
With only three-bedroom apartments, the building would not meet the Wollongong Development Control Plan which states that there should be a mix of sizes in residential developments, and studio and one-bedroom apartments must not make up less than 10 per cent of units.
But the development application said one-bedroom units were "simply less desirable" in this part of the city and the proposed complex was aimed at people looking to downsize from larger homes, who did not want to or could not move into one-bedroom apartments, "of which there is already plenty of in Wollongong generally".
"The development provides for higher density living for families and co-living inhabitants," the application said.
The building, if approved, will also have communal outdoor areas at the ground and penthouse levels, including seating and barbecues.
The building has been designed by Sydney firm EMK Architects and includes a mix of materials and finishes which the application states "serve to break down the visual bulk of the development".
The application said solar panels would be installed on the rooftop for energy efficiency and sustainability, while the architects had considered crossflow ventilation to all apartments and ensured two hours of sun in mid-winter to living spaces for 88 per cent of apartments.
One ground-floor apartment is designed to be adaptable, for accessibility.
The development application notes that some balconies and windows are closer to boundaries than required under NSW's apartment design guide, which it says are "minor".
"The unique circumstances as to why this variation is requested primarily relate to the site's context by virtue of its lot isolation, orientation and adjoining forms," the application said.
The building would also stand above the height limit of 16 metres, with a small part of the roof and the lift overrun reaching between 8.6 and 70.5 centimetres taller, but the application said this was "minor only".
The development would increase traffic in Blacket Street, the development application said, but it was expected the street and local road network had capacity to accommodate more traffic.
The site is flanked by two multi-storey unit complexes, and to the rear (facing Bourke Street) is a single-storey home and another multi-storey building.
It spans two blocks, each of which currently contain a two-storey home and detached outbuildings at the rear.
Both properties were sold in October 2022: number 15 for $4.1 million, while its neighbour went for $4.2 million.
Modco is the developer behind the nearby Heritage complex in Virginia Street, which is still under construction, and the 18-floor Aire Complex in Atchison Street.
Market researcher Suburbtrends recently determined that Blacket Street is the Wollongong area's most expensive, with an estimated median house value of $3.547 million.
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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.
