The initial approved Concept plan was for three residential
towers. The developer managed to get this changed so the Northern building came
down in height to create larger commercial rather than residential floorplates.
The developer now says that since Covid commercial is no longer viable and they
wish to revert to a mainly residential development.
Rather than do straight commercial housing, the developers
are proposing a second building that would house 448 “student / co-living” rooms
in its own tower. Co-living is the new term that covers some student housing as
well as new boarding houses and the proposal does not say exactly what is
proposed. The student tower to the south has 474 co-living student units.
The balance two towers would see 50 additional market residential
units bringing the total to 176. The proposal maintains the minimum 5%
residential gross floor area as affordable housing increasing affordable
housing from 24 to 40. There is also an increase in retail space and a decrease
in community space with a small amount of office space retained.
The changes, if they are approved would increase
overshadowing on the new Waterloo park approved for the eastern side of Cope
Street opposite the Metro.
The Waterloo
Second Amending Concept DA_Scoping_Dec24 can be found on the Planning
Portal along with two complementary requests for requirements to change the
associated approved Development Applications. Observant locals may notice that the
illustration on the cover of the Concept DA report wrongly shows Cope Street as
Copeland Street, which is a few blocks away in Alexandria.
The application says the developer will consult community
stakeholders after it obtains the planning requirements. The proposal for the
planning requirements gives an initial indication of what the developer wants
to do on the site but they need to undertake studies and other consultations so
the proposal that finally goes to exhibition may be different.
REDWatch will endeavour to organise a meeting when the
developer is ready to talk to the community about its proposal.