Seven-storey, $20m Rose Park apartment complex faces court battle

A $20 million apartment and townhouse development in Rose Park is too high, residents say, who have started legal action to try to stop it.

Property developers Domain want to replace this existing eight-storey building with a seven-storey residential building but residents have started legal action. Picture: Google Maps

• ‘It is the ugliest building in the area’

A seven-storey building earmarked for Rose Park would repeat “the mistakes of the past”, a neighbouring resident has said in court documents.

Residents Rodney Miller and Robert Whitington are appealing Burnside Council’s approval of the $20 million development in the Environment, Resources and Development Court.

The council approved Domain Project Development’s plan to demolish an existing eight-storey building on Watson Ave — known as Bradford Lodge — in March.

Domain would build a seven-storey complex with 13 units, three buildings with 15 apartments and six townhouses at the site.

Bradford Lodge — which has been used for student accommodation — was built in 1968, before maximum building height limits were introduced.

In a statement of representation, Mr Miller said “the mistakes of the past should be remedied, not repeated”, arguing the existing student accommodation was a “historic planning mistake”.

“The (new) building is too high,” he said.

He said if approved, the development would overlook his pool, yard and outside living area and it would be a “personal violation of space”.

“The proposal will increase danger and congestion in … (Aviator) Lane,” Mr Miller said.

Mr Whitington said the new plan was “utterly inappropriate for the site”.

The residents’ appeal is expected to go before the ERD Court in September.

Burnside Council’s assessment panel initially opposed the application from Aplin Cook Gardner, on behalf of Domain, in November.

However, it was approved following a confidential meeting of the panel in March after the developer reduced the building’s height from eight to seven storeys.