The cluster of new high-rise blocks planned to be built next Mortdale Station continues to grow with the approval by the Georges River Local Planning Panel for a seven-storey, 38-unit development adjoining the Ellen Subway railway underpass.
It joins two other high-rise developments for the Mortdale railway station precinct, one recently approved and the other in the pipeline.
An adjoining site at 85 to 87 Railway Parade, Mortdale was approved in August, 2018 for the redevelopment of two houses as a six-storey mixed-use development.
And next door, 89-91 Railway Parade, Mortdale is subject of a current development application for a six-storey mixed use development containing 17 apartments.
The $10.46 million Ellen Subway project is to be built on a 1315 square-metre triangular-shaped elevated site that is six-metres above street level and next to Mortdale Station and the Illawarra Rail Line.
The building will have a ground-floor commercial tenancy, a loading bay and two levels of basement parking for 48 cars with access off Ellen Subway.
There were 13 submissions received regarding the development including one containing 94 signatures.
Residents raised a number of objections including the proposed development’s bulk and scale, traffic congestion, pedestrian safety, potential loss of visual amenity, the notification process and parking.
The site was up-zoned by the former Kogarah Council in 2012 to B2 Local Centre giving it a permissible height of 21-metres.
The site has a 36-metre frontage to Ellen Subway but has had no access to a public road.
RailCorp owns the entirety of Ellen Subway including a small stretch of land extending along the entire north-western boundary of the development site.
RailCorp has issued land owners consent and seeks to enter into a perpetual licence agreement with Georges River Council for the transfer of Ellen Subway and its dedication as a roadway.
Seven residents addressed the panel stating their concerns about the development.
The panel voted three to one in favour.
Panel member Cameron Jones voted against approval because of his concerns in relation to the cumulative impact on traffic in the immediate area surrounding Mortale Station.
He also had concerns about the topographical constraints of accessing the site including sight lines along Ellen Subway.
But his colleagues on the panel, Adam Seton, Jason Perica and Milan Marecic felt the proposed development would have no unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural or built environment.
“The proposed development is considered to be an appropriate scale and from for the site having regard to the desired future character of the locality," the panel said in its statement of reasons for approval.
“The proposed development is a suitable and planned use of the site and its approval is in the public interest."
