An application to restore Brighton-Le-Sands' historic Saywell terrace houses as part of a $16.2 million, 12-storey residential development will go before the Bayside Local Planning Panel tomorrow with a recommendation for approval.
The development at 64-68 The Grand Parade, would provide 33 residential apartments and three levels of basement parking to be built behind the row of terraces.
The DA provides for the partial demolition of the existing heritage structures and the retention of significant features of the heritage listed terraces fronting The Grand Parade. These would be converted into five small home office units.
Thomas Saywell, the original developer of Brighton-Le-Sands, built the terraces around 1884 and lived there until his death in 1928.
In 2018, the Rockdale Local Environmental Plan 2011 was amended to increase the maximum building height for the site from 13 metres to 36 metres and maximum floor space ratio from 1:1 to 4:1.
Bayside Council then organised a design excellence competition, to be funded by the developer.
The jury selected a design by architects Fox Johnston, citing its "innovative apartment design principles, high degree of landscape integration, and the successful relationship between the residential building and heritage terraces".
The Statement of Environmental Effects accompanying the DA said the proposal integrates with the height and existing built form of surrounding developments and overall streetscape of The Grand Parade, minimises overshadowing to public places and responds appropriately to the heritage significance of the site.
There have been 15 objections to the development application and one submission in support.
Objections include excessive height, it is an 'eyesore' that is out of character with the surrounding three to seven-storey buildings, overshadowing, and the fact the development has not been stepped back like the adjacent Novotel Hotel.