Holdfast Bay Council puts halt on plans for nine-storey apartment and retail complex for Glenelg

PLANS for a nine-storey building behind Glenelg’s Stamford Grand Hotel have hit a snag after Holdfast Bay Council refused a request to remove a tree near the site.

Apartments overlook Glenelg beach. Picture Nat Thompson

THE Glenelg skyline would rise even higher if plans for a nine-storey building behind the Stamford Grand Hotel are approved.

Concept designs for the $7.5 million apartment and retail complex were made public at a Holdfast Bay Council meeting last week.

It comes as figures show more than half a billion dollars worth of development were approved within the Holdfast Bay, Marion and West Torrens council districts in 2016-17.

SA Group of Companies wants to build the apartment block on St Johns Row. It would include 28 homes and 22 carparking spaces.

SA Group of Companies wants to build an apartment block behind the Stamford Grand in Glenelg.

The plan was revealed when the company applied to the council to remove a mature New Zealand Christmas tree to make way for a driveway around the corner on College St.

However, a council report stated a search through the Australian Securities and Investments Commission showed the company was deregistered.

Elected members, in a six to five vote, denied the request to remove the tree from the nature strip outside the site, primarily because of the questionable status of the company.

The CoastCity Weekly was unable to contact SA Group of Companies for comment.

Formal plans for the building are yet to be lodged with the State Planning Assessment Commission.

A council report stated there had been preliminary meetings about the development between the applicant, State Planning Department and Holdfast Bay staff.

The commission approved two apartment and retail developments on prime Jetty Rd corners from developer Andrew Taplin in August and September.

The eight-storey Patridge St and seven-storey Colley Tce buildings are set to be joined by a third development, also from Mr Taplin, who’s plans for six storeys of apartments above the Bayside Shopping Centre are currently before the commission.

New figures show development approvals in Holdfast Bay reached $110 million in 2016/17.

That was down from $120 million the year before, but significantly up from $76 million in 2014/15.

Development approvals in West Torrens rose from $217 million in 2015/16 to $277 million in 2016/17.

Marion Council’s figure remained steady at about $180 million.