Parramatta, Thomas St: Boarding house with 237 rooms proposed

It could be Sydney’s swankiest boarding house — plans for a 237-room complex in Parramatta have been revealed.

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It could be Sydney’s swankiest boarding house — 237-room complex overlooking the Parramatta River have been revealed.

A dual-block boarding house with 237 rooms will occupy a chunk of Thomas St at Parramatta if the bold plans get the green light.

Century 888 has submitted a new development application to Parramatta Council following its original plans for a 59-unit project over two six-storey blocks that was approved to proceed to the Planning Department in July.

However, those plans have been shelved in favour of the boarding house over two seven-storey blocks with two levels of basement parking at 85-91 Thomas St.

Parramatta Liberal councillor Steve Issa said “this seems to be a block of studio apartments masquerading as a boarding house" but welcomed the design.

An artist's impression of the double seven-storey blocks overlooking the Parramatta River.

"If we’re going going to have new generation boarding houses that’s probably what you want it to look like,'' he said.

Cr Issa said the development looked "quite swanky for a boarding house but they’ve (developers) got to be careful that they’re not using loopholes in a SEPP (State Environmental Planning Policies) that would allow greater density that would otherwise be allowed".

"Broadly speaking, the street’s largely filled with residential walk-ups so it’s largely medium, higher density anyway.''

But Labor councillor Patricia Prociv criticised the lack of public transport available on the site, which she predicted would become more congested.

"Also the government's reduced the amount of express buses on Victoria Rd and Thomas St's a nightmare with traffic,'' she said.

"It would just exacerbate with residents and cars.''

The neighbourhood is away from the Parramatta CBD but is not immune to high density development, including "crowded" multiple unit blocks at Morton St.

It's been labelled swanky but the boarding house could also compound traffic congestion in the neighbourhood.

"It's just so many people,'' Cr Prociv said.

"It was made for single-storey dwelling and Morton St is just so crowded and it's just added to that crowded living in an area designed for single dwelling.'' 

In July the plans for the 59-unit dwelling drew strong debate during a council meeting.

Councillor Benjamin Barrak supported the plans after saying Century 888 opted to build a multi-storey development because plans to extend behind the building were refused over biodiversity regulations given its proximity to the Parramatta River.

 

An outdoor area at the Thomas St development.

Cr Andrew Wilson described the planning process around the Thomas St project as “very unpleasing’’.

 

 

The applicant could not develop to the back of the properties, so applied to build up instead.