An artist’s impression of the proposal showing the residential buildings and landscaped podium. Images: Stewart Architecture.
A development application for almost 300 units across four buildings has been submitted for a block in the Lathlain Street Precinct in the Belconnen Town Centre.
Developer Rick Farzan wants to build three eight-storey build-to-sell apartment buildings comprising 182 one to three bedroom units and a separate nine-storey hotel of 112 one and two bedroom units.
Separating the project into residential and commercial accommodation means the proponent does not have to vary the lease.
The 6382 square metres of Block 4 and 5, Section 22, is currently a car park and vacant land, one of three Lathlain Street sites released for development.
The proposal has had to respond to the Town Centre Place Design Brief developed by the Suburban Land Agency with the Belconnen community.
“The vision is to create a vibrant mixed-use precinct through a series of well-designed buildings and public spaces,” says the DA prepared by Stewart Architecture.
Currently a trades area, the $95 million development will inject housing and new shops into the precinct, along with a new public park and art gallery.
The three residential buildings will sit on a double-storey commercial podium that on Level 1 provides landscaped outdoor spaces and amenities for residents.
The main Building A (80 units) will face Josephson Street, Building B (48) Walder Street and Building C (50 units) Purdue Street.
The freestanding Building D for the hotel or serviced apartment building will be separated by a shared laneway between Walder and Purdue streets and front Rae Street.
Building A will include nine one bedroom and 21 two bedroom affordable housing units and three community housing two bedroom units.
The shared laneway between the hotel and residential buildings.
The public park, located on the north-east corner, will be landscaped and treed, with seating and a water feature.
The proposed ground floor gallery is located centrally on the laneway and is envisaged as the local communal hub.
The DA says it can be a gallery space for different types of artworks, events and public art performances, from the commissioning of public sculptures in front of the gallery and the integration of murals on the external walls, to an art performance that can spill out onto the footpath.
End-of-trip facilities and a gym are also proposed, accessible from the laneway.
The plans show ground floor shops along the perimeters of the podium and the hotel.
The DA says the use of setbacks at the higher levels on buildings B, C and D will ensure sufficient sunshine for open spaces, with shadow diagrams showing that the corner park, the laneway and a large section on the western side of the podium will have ample solar access.
As well as the trees in the park, 21 new street trees will be planted along the perimeter of the site.
The main residential building on the corner of Josephson and Purdue streets.
The three-level basements provides 370 parking spaces – 192 residents, 120 for the hotel and 58 for the public. Two on-ground spaces are available for drop offs.
As required, 182 residential car spaces are EV ready and two visitor car parking spaces in the basement of buildings A, B and C will have EV chargers.
In the Building D basement, 13 of the public car spaces will be EV ready.
In the bicycle storage area on the ground floor, two socket outlets will allow charging of scooters and bicycles.
The entry and exit for the hotel basement is at the eastern end of Purdue Street.
The existing disused bus bay on Walder Street will be removed and the existing verges, kerb and gutter reinstated.
Submissions on the DA can be made until 10 February.
