Plans for nine-storey apartment block behind heritage facade on prominent Cronulla beach site

Under the plans detailed in a development application (DA) lodged this week, the existing heritage facade would be retained at ground and first floor level, wrapping around the corner of the site. Other structures would be demolished.

Two new retail premises would be constructed behind the heritage facade at ground floor level, opening onto outdoor dining courtyard areas.

A nine-storey apartment block, with four levels of basement parking, would include 28 3-bedroom units and two with two-bedrooms.

The present building at 97-99 Gerrale Street dates back to the 19th century, with shops serving a variety of purposes over the years.

In the early days, postal services were provided from the site and it was the terminus for bus services, which began with horse drawn coaches in the late 1890s.

In later years, the building housed a grocer's shop, milk bar with accommodation upstairs, hairdresser, electrical goods store, pizza shop and laundromat.

A heritage impact statement included in the DA said affected heritage items included not only the building, but also the adjacent kerb and gutter on Gerrale Street and Thornton Hall, which is part of St Aloysius School, in Giddings Avenue.

"The impact of the new apartment building on the heritage protects the facade of the heritage, but there are some impacts on internal heritage fabric," the statement said.

"These are unavoidable because of the engineering required for the construction of a building of eight floors and a four level underground carpark.

"The proposal contains what is most significant for continuation of its contribution to the streetscape and its contribution to public amenity.

"The new building does impact the heritage item - its height is a dominant feature.

"However, it is designed to integrate with the heritage item, preserve the key elements of the facade and to retain commercial function of the building contributing to the vibrancy of the area."

A Design Verification Statement prepared by Vic Lake Architects says in part:

"For the subject site, the heritage component adds a level of contextual complexity requiring more thought, some rethinking, tremendous respect and great sensitivity in an attempt to mitigate the impact of a 30-metre high building form with a large 3:1 floor space ratio from over dominating the heritage building.

"The proposed two-tone timber-like skeletal structure will project a lightweight building form and due to the eccentric alignment of the vertical columns resulting in a neutral facade visual outcome i.e neither horizontal nor vertical.

"The apparent lightness is further reinforced with the proposed towers perched on a number of elegant polished structural concrete tree-like structures.

"The scale of the building is in keeping with the immediate area being of similar height and bulk to 83-85 Gerrale Street which also displays a gridded facade, although through careful selection of materials and the rhythm of a pleasing building fenestration the proposal has much less visual bulk."