Green light closer for Strand project
CONTROVERSIAL multistorey building planned to be built at 99 The Strand could be just two weeks away from getting the green light after clearing another hurdle on Wednesday.
Situated on the corner of The Strand and Landsborough Street, the proposed 46unit development has the potential to be Townsville’s biggest unit project in more than a decade.
After repeatedly assessing proposals and sending them back to be revised three times,
Townsville City Council’s Planning and Development Committee was satisfied that Warburton Investments’ project could proceed to the next council meeting for a decision on May 26.
Following the consideration of public feedback, Planning and Development Committee chair Mark Molachino said the committee ensured the report going to council made sense with the necessary information to assist with the decision-making process.
Straddling three lots and two different zones – The
Strand precinct and North Ward villages precinct – the proposed building had to conform to two different height restrictions.
A five-storey building would front The Strand, transitioning to eight storeys at the rear of the site.
Mr Molachino said council’s planners worked with the developers on the “step back” in the building, trying to break it up with verandas to “get a better flow to try and not make it such an imposing eight storey building”.
Featuring a contemporary design using a variety of building materials and articulation, Cr Molachino said the building, along with its accompanying restaurant/cafe, would help activate the area.
“Because up that end of The Strand, we’ve got a couple of restaurants right at the end, but there’s a bit of a gap in the middle section from Strand Park down to Landsborough Street,” he said.
“Also it gives us the opportunity to condition the developer to upgrade the footpath and put some plants in there to make it a bit nicer.”
Not everyone was going to be happy with the final outcome, ceded.
“It never happens like that but we need to make sure the majority is happy,” he said.
“I think it’s a way forward for The Strand, we to need to start looking at renewals along there, and this is a step towards that.”
Warburton Investments director Luke Filei said it had received “very clear and actionable feedback from the Townsville City Council throughout the project planning process”.
“We have great confidence in Townsville,” he said.
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