Four-storey apartment building planned for 26 Wellesley St in Wellington Point

Plans are in the works for what would be a the highest apartment block yet for a beautiful bayside hub where residents are keen to preserve their village feel.

Plans have been revealed for the first four-storey apartment block at a bayside mixed use locale where residents are eager to preserve their coastal village aesthetic.

A material change of use application – MCU22/0030 – tendered by Findasite details a four-storey, nine-unit modern apartment building planned for 26 Wellesley St, Wellington Point.

Owned by Johnson and Clayton ATF The Apple Trust, the two-lot, 810 sqm site fronts onto Wellesley and Aspley streets, only a stone’s throw from the Wellington Point business centre.

Should plans be approved by Redland City Council, the development would feature nine apartments each with three bedrooms, a balcony and two parking spaces.

A front perspective of a nine-unit, four-storey apartment building planned for 26 Wellesley St, Wellington Point.

According to planning documents, the ninth unit would have three parking spaces and a single visitors’ space would make for a total 20 parking spaces.

A recent development application for an office and shop development directly in front of the site at 411 – 413 Main Rd, drew criticism from some residents who were keen to preserve Wello’s village vibe.

“The Main Rd village should be planned as a dining or retail precinct not commercial office space that provides little amenity to the public,” Erin Burrows commented on the 411 – 413 Main Rd DA.

“Design should also be of coastal or seaside aesthetic.”

A side aspect of a nine-unit, four-storey apartment building planned for 26 Wellesley St, Wellington Point.

A development report for 26 Wellesley St stated the planned apartment complex would stay true to the area’s established feel.

“Following a review of the Redland City Plan it is Findasite’s professional opinion that the

proposal warrants support from Redland City Council due to its consistency with the character

of the surrounding area, its provision of suitable infrastructure and general accordance with

the codes,” the report stated.

Sitting across two lots to be amalgamated, the planned 13m high building would cover 62.4 per cent of the 810 sqm site, and be “oriented to the east to take advantage of the view corridors to Moreton Bay”.

A map showing the location of a nine-unit, four-storey apartment building planned for 26 Wellesley St, Wellington Point.

A Redland City Council spokeswoman confirmed further development plans for the picturesque hub.

“Council issued a development permit in August 2021 for a material change of use for a shop and office on land at 26 Wellesley Street, Wellington Point,” she said.

“A minor change to the development approval was approved in November 2021.

“All documents, including approved plans, can be viewed via council’s Development.i web page.

“The development application and minor change request were assessed against the City Plan (v5) as per the requirements of the Planning Act 2016.

“The subject land is located within the Local Centres Zone which contains benchmarks for assessment of development applications, including built form, amenity and streetscape outcomes for development in the local centre.

A front perspective of a nine-unit, four-storey apartment building planned for 26 Wellesley St, Wellington Point.

“For more information on these benchmarks, refer to section 6.2.9 of the City Plan (v5), which is available on council’s website.

“Council is developing a Centres Management Program to revitalise our centres and to stimulate economic growth.

“The program will be rolled out to all principal, major, district and local centres, including Wellington Point.

“As part of the Centres Management Program, council offered a new $120,000 Village Events and Activation Grant Program this year to support community organisations and village traders in promoting their local village centres and making them more vibrant.

“Council is currently assessing the applications for this grant program.”