Developer seeks approval for 31 units in case retirement village plan at Magill is rejected
A property developer will continue seeking approval for a multi-storey retirement village in a suburban backstreet — but has lodged plans for 31 residential units as a back-up.
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A property developer who wants to build a four-storey retirement village in the middle of an eastern suburb is seeking approval for 31 units as a back-up plan.
Renato Obbiettivo said the retirement village remained his preferred option for several properties his company had purchased on Alton Ave and Bricknell St, Magill.
However, he had lodged an application with Campbelltown Council to build nine blocks of units in the event the initial project was unsuccessful.
Residents voiced their objections to the retirement village during a community meeting convened last month by Mr Obbiettivo and planning consultants URPS.
They were shown concept plans for a four-storey structure which had 76 apartments, underground parking, a cafe, gymnasium, library and indoor swimming pool.
Mr Obbiettivo said he had listened to residents, who told the meeting the structure was too big and out of character for the area.
Residents also were concerned about increased vehicles in their streets, lower property values and the new building blocking sunlight.
Mr Obbiettivo — who described the development to Messenger before the community meeting as “a small, bespoke family-operated retirement village” — was being redesigned.
“We are working through the issues raised at the meeting,” said Mr Obbiettivo.
“The application for residential units is option two if, for whatever reason, the retirement village should be shelved.
“We are resetting and rejigging the design to lessen its impact. We have listened to the community.”
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Magill resident Sandra Mestros, who is leading a community campaign against the development, said Mr Obbiettivo should have told residents about the units at his meeting.
“We are disappointed that there wasn’t communication to us that he had a second option,” she said.
“Both will still be non-compliant and will have an adverse impact on the daily lives of the residents in the area.”
Campbelltown Council chief executive Paul Di Iulio confirmed an application had been lodged for multiple double-storeyed units on Alton Ave and Bricknell St.
“We have received an application which seeks to construct six double-storey residential flat buildings containing a total of 28 dwellings and three double-storey group dwellings, a total of 31 dwellings,” he said.
“At this point only site plans, floor plans and partial elevations have been provided.
“Significant amounts of additional information are required to be provided to facilitate a proper assessment.”
Mr Di Iulio said the application was for a Category 3 type of development so it would need to undergo public notification.