Granville’s Rowell St units to almost double in height

Prepare to crane your neck in Granville because a proposal to double the height of an apartment tower to almost 30 storeys is becoming a reality.

Part of a three-tower residential development at Granville.

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Granville’s burgeoning skyline could soar even higher after a proposal to double a tower’s height to a neck-craning 92m has progressed, despite it flouting planning guidelines.

Parramatta Local Planning Panel last week gave the green light for a 246-unit block at Rowell St to jump from 52m to 92m, or from 16 to 29 storeys.

The Think Planners project is part of the 620-apartment, three-tower complex for Cowper, Rowell and East streets, Granville, where development is already under way on part of the site.

One of the towers at the Granville complex.

There will be more than 600 apartments in the complex.

The project also includes a supermarket, carpark, medical centre and 90-space childcare centre.

The 92m block will be the tallest of the three towers and flouts the recommended height by 11m under the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy (TRCUTS).

But planning papers state the “taller slender tower” delivered “a better urban design outcome” and was approved.

Granville resident Chris Theodoridis, who lives on East St, objected to the project, saying it would create bedlam in his already-congested neighbourhood.

Building C is where the heights will jump to 92m. Its neighbouring buildings will be 52m tall.

“I’m not against progress but there’s no carparking in the street as it stands,’’ he said.

“There’s no green space. It’s still suburban. We’re not George St.

“I don’t want the street looking like an eyesore. It’s already bedlam.”

A concept design for the complex’s East St building.

He complained about the failure to inform residents about the public exhibition period from November 6 to December 6.

“I’ve been kept in the dark,’’ he said.

Panel chairwoman Mary-Lynne Taylor said residents were given more notice during development application periods compared with planning proposals.

Three submissions were received during the feedback period.

Granville’s population is growing rapidly.

The RMS and Transport for NSW supported the proposal after the completion of a traffic study that Parramatta and Cumberland councils are undertaking.

The other community submissions objected to the strain on increased density and loss of privacy.

A plaza on the corner of Bridge and Rowell streets is also planned for the complex, while a 1400sq m park will also be part of the complex.

The 92m tower will dwarf the existing blocks near Granville station.

Under the strategy, the Granville’s will have an extra 3350 dwellings and 6410 more residents by 2023. By 2050 the suburb will have 10,700 residents and 5300 dwellings.

The 92m tower will also be subject to a design competition because it is higher than 55m.

The planning proposal will now go to the Planning Department before a development application is submitted to Parramatta Council.