One of the smallest undeveloped sites in the Hurstville central business district will be redeveloped as a multi-million dollar high-rise apartment block following a decision of the Georges River Local Planning Panel this week.
A 1930s two-storey building at 8 Park Road that is a remnant of the old Hurstville will be replaced by a $6.5 million an eight-storey building with 19 apartments and two commercial outlets.
The development by C&K Development (Australia) was approved although it exceeded height controls for the area by up to 60 per cent.
The variation in height was supported by council staff due to the context of the site and its immediate locality, providing similar height and built form.
“The site is constrained and the proposed design of this infill development is a reasonable, appropriate and positive design and planning outcome,” the council report stated.
The original design of the building design was altered following suggestions by the council’s Design Review Panel.
Changes saw an increase in the number of car spaces from 17 to 18 and a redesign the roof area reducing the height and scale of the rooftop structures.
The permissible building height is 19-metres and the approved height was reduced from the original 30.4 metres was 28.2 metres.
“The narrow frontage width restricts the ability to create a functional retail or other non-residential use at street level,” the council report said.
“Although the (height) non-compliance is quite substantial in nature and exceeds the control by come 60 per cent, the circumstances in this case are unique given the physically constrained and isolated nature of the site.”
The council’s report added that the current two-storey building on the site significantly detracts for the character of development in the streetscape and immediately locality.
The planning panel found the development would be in the public interest because it is consistent with development in the zone and granted a deferred commencement subject to a number of conditions being met.
