Green light for hotel
Council approves revised application for accommodation build
Cairns Regional Council has approved a second application for a new, budget hotel in the city (right). Urban Sync Planning and Development, on behalf of Hong Tu Investment Pty Ltd, sought approval in February for a building including short-term accommodation, a food-anddrink outlet, office and shop. In June a new application was made to remove the commercial component of the development and was approved by council officers last week.
A SECOND application for a new, budget hotel in the city has been approved by Cairns Regional Council.
Urban Sync Planning and Development, on behalf of Hong Tu Investment Pty Ltd, sought approval in February for a building including short-term accommodation, a food-anddrink outlet, office and shop.
In June a new application was made to remove the commercial component of the development and was approved by the council last week. The communal rooftop area remains part of the development.
The new short-term accommodation will feature 44 units with an ensuite, a reception, kitchen and lounge with a rooftop communal recreation and dining area. The project will also include 17 sqm of landscaping at ground level and 34 sqm of landscaping on the rooftop “with the ability for this landscaping to ‘hang’ over the edge of the building and in turn, add to the vertical landscaping able to be provided”.
Almost 160 sqm of vertical landscaping will be added to the front facade and a private contractor will be hired to maintain the landscaping.
A spokesman for the project was unable to say when construction would begin.
Hong Tu Investment Pty Ltd’s core business involves organising packaged tours for groups of travellers, predominantly from China.
The site, about 40m from the intersection of McLeod and Grove streets, is currently home to a three-storey building with six apartments and 145 sqm of ground-level office space.
The revised concept also sought a higher building height of 650mm over the maximum permitted on the site, to house a partial storey with only the stairwell, lift overrun and dining area enclosed.
A council letter also gave the project the go ahead saying the building would “largely achieve the relevant overall outcomes of CairnsPlan 2016”.