West Torrens Council tries to limit buildings to three storeys along Anzac Highway, Glandore

A PLANNED eight-storey apartment building has sparked a bid to stop buildings taller than three storeys being built along a major Adelaide road.

An artist's impression of eight-storey apartments proposed for 192 Anzac Highway, Glandore. Source: Supplied

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A PLANNED eight-storey apartment building in Glandore labelled “an absolute disgrace” has sparked a bid to stop buildings taller than three storeys being built along part of Anzac Highway.

West Torrens Council will attempt to fix its own development plan by lobbying Planning Minister John Rau to strictly enforce the height limit on the strip next to the Glandore character area.

It comes as councillors and nearby residents remain outraged about the proposed eight-storey building at 192 Anzac Highway because it has “taken advantage of a technicality” that relates to that block of the arterial road.

Planning Minister John Rau.

The council voted last week to spend up to $16,000 to submit a statement of intent to Mr Rau, which — if accepted by the minister — would spark a development plan amendment to change that technicality.

Keswick Ward councillor Michael Farnden told the meeting the submission was about fixing a mistake and bringing the development plan in line with community expectations.

“We must stand up to the planning minister for our residents ... and take on this relatively modest financial cost to protect the character of our city,” he said.

The $10 million-plus Glandore project is the first to take advantage of the eight-storey height limit allowed along Anzac Highway in the West Torrens urban corridor zone.

An artist's impression of eight-storey apartments proposed for 192 Anzac Highway, Glandore. Source: Supplied

The site does not directly border the character area because of an unusual “hammerhead” allotment to the south, which effectively puts a small buffer between the land and the character zone.

Character zones have stricter rules as to what can be developed in order to protect the distinctive nature of the area.

They must be sympathetic to the existing streetscape, with setbacks and scales to the same degree as neighbouring houses.

Homes in the Glandore character area are — for the most part — villas, inter-war bungalows, Spanish mission and Dutch colonial-style dwellings.

If the site directly abutted the character zone it would be limited to three storeys, under the West Torrens development plan, instead of the eight-storey capacity of the urban corridor zone.

The house at 192 Anzac Highway where developers want to build eight-storey apartments.

Cr Arthur Mangos said the proposed building was “an absolute disgrace” and “just not correct or fair”.

Cr John Woodward told the CoastCity Weekly a development amendment would not seek to stop the development at 192 Anzac Highway, but ensure it could not happen elsewhere in Glandore.

He said the amendment would specify a three-storey height limit for all land in the urban corridor zone between Beckman St and South Rd to protect the character area.

Building plans for the Anzac Highway development include 36 two- and three-bedroom apartments, 36 parking spaces and a cafe on the ground floor.

When asked, project development manager Angelo Polymeneas said the owners — who lodged plans in June — wanted to remain anonymous.

Their application is under consideration by the State Commission Assessment Panel.

It was classed as a category one development, with no opportunity for the local community to make submissions.