Toronto: Massive $37m, 108-unit twin towers on Cary St approved by Land and Environment Court

A massive $37m, five-storey 108-unit twin towers development at Lake Macquarie has been approved, on appeal, after it was refused by a planning panel for being too big. See the details.

The Land and Environment Court has approved a major $36 million twin block development on Cary St, Toronto, after it was refused by the Hunter Central Coast Regional Planning Panel last year. Picture: Supplied

An over-height, twin tower mixed use development deemed too big and “unacceptable” for Toronto has been approved on appeal by the Land and Environment Court.

The Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel knocked back the 108-unit proposal for the vacant block next to McDonalds on Cary St last year citing a laundry list of reasons including that it exceeded the land’s various height limits — by as much as 7m — and failed to satisfy a range of other planning controls.

“The proposed height and bulk of the building along Cary St is dominating and would result in an unacceptable visual impact to the northern entrance to the Toronto town centre,” the panel stated in its unanimous decision.

The proponent, Toronto Investments No.1 Pty Ltd, took the refusal to the Land and Environment Court which set the matter down for an on-site hearing with concerned residents in December followed by two days of conciliation meetings.

Commissioner Elizabeth Espinosa, who presided over the conciliation conference, has now ruled in favour of Toronto Investments after the developer and Lake Macquarie Council reached an agreement granting consent subject to further conditions.

Approved: An artist’s impression of the twin residential and mixed use blocks with the over-height parts circled in read. Picture: Supplied

The 6000 square metre site, made up of nine individual lots at 114-120 Cary St, has three street frontages with the panel arguing Arnott Ave at the rear was not wide enough to accommodate the amount of cars coming and going from the development’s two levels of basement parking.

Toronto Investments estimated the capital value of the project to be upwards of $36.6 million and comprised a five-storey shop top housing block on Cary St and a five-storey residential flat block fronting Arnott Ave.

The 6000sq m site has three street frontages on Cary St, Victory Parade and Arnott Ave. Picture: supplied

Communal open space is earmarked at the roof level of both unit blocks.

Commissioner Espinosa found the existing road infrastructure was capable of handling the increased traffic with a relatively minor upgrade to the nearby Bay and Cary streets intersection.

She also found strict compliance to height limits was unreasonable or unnecessary because the development was appropriate for its location and encouraged “high quality urban form”.

She agreed with the developer that the proposed building envelope responded to its setting given it was tallest along the busy Cary St but stepped down towards the lake foreshore and the twin building design enabled good separation through the middle of the site.

The buildings were said to display high-quality urban form and therefore warranted exemptions in height. Picture: supplied

An economic impact statement estimates construction will create 186 jobs, while the ongoing commercial floor space below the apartments will employ about 60 people.