Taplin Group’s second high-rise apartment building on Jetty Rd, Glenelg gets approval
GLENELG’S skyline will soon be transformed by two apartment and retail complexes, as a property developer’s $60 million vision comes to fruition.
- First of three major developments for Jetty Rd gets approval
- The new masterplan to revitalise Glenelg’s prime retail strip
- Watermark Hotel could be turned into 12-storey tower
GLENELG’S skyline will soon be transformed by two towering apartment and retail complexes on Jetty Rd, as a property developer’s $60 million vision comes to fruition.
Andrew Taplin has been given the green light to develop an eight-storey, $30 million building on the corner of Jetty Rd and Patridge St.
The proposal was on Thursday approved by the state’s chief planning body, which in August granted consent to Mr Taplin’s plans for a similar seven-storey, $28 million apartment building on the corner of Colley Tce.
It marks a drastic height rise from the one and two-storey character of the Glenelg shopping strip, which is largely limited to five storeys under local planning rules.
Mr Taplin’s buildings are exempt however, as they are on blocks bigger than 1500sq m making them “strategic development sites”.
The Patridge St development includes retail and carparking on the ground and first floors, with six storeys of apartments above.
Mr Taplin said he intended to make a statement on the “unique site”.
“This is a prime corner location – it’s probably the secondary gateway to Jetty Rd and it needs to have something impressive,” he said.
“However, one of the things we’ve been very conscious of is to make a statement but also kept it blending in with the area.
“On the adjacent corner is a lovely art deco building and what we’ve tried to do with this building is to mirror and incorporate some of the features so there’s some flow and synergy.”
Mr Taplin said, despite the building’s proposed height, it would have a limited impact on surrounding residents because the GU Film House to the south provided a buffer.
“It is effectively a three-street frontage site and there’s no overshadowing because its set back from any homes,” he said.
“It’s exactly what we need down here to happen and there’s no question it will be well received.”
Mr Taplin said the apartment living that the development would bring complemented Holdfast Bay Council’s master plan for Jetty Rd, which featured a more pedestrian-friendly design.
As reported by the Coast City Weekly, the council last month revealed detailed designs for a major revamp of Jetty Rd.
The Patridge St application first went before the State Commission Assessment Panel on August 24, but was deferred.
Aspects of the building needed to be altered including traffic flow from the first floor carpark, waste storage, changes to the retail layout, pedestrian access and building materials more suitable for the corrosive coastal environment.
Current retailers will be offered tenancies in the new building, however they will need to relocate during construction before the current building is demolished.
Mr Taplin said a construction date was yet to be set but it would take about a year to build.
He said demolition, rather than renovation, was the best option to minimise construction time and inconvenience to traders, adjoining businesses and the general community.
Mr Taplin has also lodged plans with the SCAP to build six storeys of apartments above the Bayside Village shopping centre on Brighton Rd, which he also owns.
The application is still under assessment.
