GRAND ON THE STRAND
DEVELOPERS have received approval for a five- storey unit and restaurant complex on The Strand and are also eyeing off a second stage that could reach seven storeys.
Townsville City Council on Thursday approved the multiple dwelling – and food and drink outlet project at 52 The Strand.
The 40- unit development is planned for land next to the Seaview Hotel.
The approved plans include 12 food and drink outlets and a five- storey building on The Strand.
A one- storey building will be constructed in Mitchell St.
Car parking will be provided in a basement level below the precinct.
An arcade packed with retail outlets will provide pedestrians direct access to both Mitchell St and The Strand through the centre of the development.
Three food and drink outlets will be located on The Strand at ground level and there will be four similar outlets with frontage to Mitchell St. Five food and drink outlets will be located inside the arcade.
An escalator inside the building will allow pedestrians access to both areas due to the topography difference of the two streets.
The food and drink outlets will range between 36sq m and 299sq m and will feature shared amenities.
There will be 18 two- bedroom units and 20 two- bed- room units with studies along with two further three bedroom units.
The Bulletin unsuccessfully attempted to contact the developer – Brisbane- based director of Cardiff Law Peter Cardiff – a former planning director of the council who lodged a development application on behalf of Sydney investors.
The plans reveal the future ambitions of the developer which include a second stage.
That stage would reach “four or possibly seven storeys” above the Mitchell St side of the project, as documents state.
The Bulletin understands an amendment would need to be made to the council’s planning scheme to allow the seven- storey section of the proposal to be approved.
No such plans to amend the scheme have been made public.
An internal driveway has been included in the proposal to allow for the future development to occur.
Mr Cardiff told the Bulletin in July the project was comprised mostly of two- bedroom units.
“The units are designed not to be opulent,” Mr Cardiff said.
“They should be priced from around $ 450,000 and go up from there.”
The site has remained undeveloped for more than 10 years since the Tony Mooneyled council was understood to have told former Cairns developer Tom Hedley to withdraw a 10- storey proposal because it was too high and attracting too many objections.