Kensington, Kingsford K2K: Four towers approved for uni students

More than 1300 student units will be built after a historic decision for four towers along the controversial K2K stretch.

UPDATE

A fourth high-rise tower to cater for hundreds of university students has been approved near the University of NSW.

Student accommodation provider Scape Australia made four development applications last year for separate high-rise buildings – to stand 18 storeys tall – to be constructed in Kensington and Kingsford and boast over 1300 boarding rooms.

Three of those developments were approved last month and the fourth and final tower was approved on Tuesday (June 29) following a decision in the Land and Environment Court.

Early artist impression of the proposed tower at 182-190 Anzac Parade and the existing building (left).

Remarkably, the latest tower to be given a green light will be one of three towers dotted around the same intersection of Todman Ave and Anzac Parade in Kensington, all owned by Scape.

It will stand 18 storeys and feature 308 boarding rooms at 182-190 Anzac Parade.

Scape was initially asking for 381 boarding rooms in the high-rise building but has since amended those plans.

The most-recent tower to be granted approval will feature a public plaza. Artist impression.

The intersection is a stone’s throw away from Kensington Public School whose P&C fought against the proposals. It is also next to a light rail stop.

It will also include a public plaza, basement parking and shops on the ground floor.

The towers will be the tallest in the area following a controversial rezoning known as the K2K, which was approved last year.

EARLIER

By Gary Hamilton-Irvine on June 22, 2021

Three high-rise towers have been approved in Kensington and Kingsford to house over 1000 university students – the first major developments to receive a green light under the controversial K2K rezoning.

The Kingsford to Kensington (K2K) rezoning strategy was approved last year making way for developers to build taller developments along the light rail corridor in the two suburbs.

Student accommodation provider Scape Australia owns prime sites in both suburbs and recently gained approval in the Land and Environment Court to build three high-rise towers and one mid-rise tower to cater for UNSW students.

The largest of the towers which will be 18 storeys and part 10 storeys. Artist image looking from Anzac Parade.

Construction is expected to begin later this year on the projects.

Two of the student towers will be located opposite one another at the same intersection of Anzac Parade and Todman Ave in Kensington and will both stand 18-storeys tall.

The larger of the two will feature 507 boarding rooms at 111-125 Anzac Parade and stand 18-storeys and part 10-storeys with shops, a public plaza, basement parking and a rooftop pool when completed.

The tower at 172-180 Anzac Parade.

The original proposal was asking for 564 boarding rooms but the plans have since been amended.

Directly opposite that development will be another 18-storey tower with 175 rooms at 172-180 Anzac Parade.

The towers are not far from Kensington Public School where the school’s P&C previously labelled Scape’s high-rise proposals as “absurd” and a safety hazard for children due to increased traffic and congestion.

Under Scape’s initial proposals, residents would largely be encouraged to use public transport including the light rail which would help combat traffic congestion.

Public space included in the plans.

Meanwhile, another high-rise tower at 391-397A Anzac Parade in Kingsford has also been given a tick of approval and will stand 16 storeys with 360 boarding rooms when complete.

That tower will be located next to a bustling intersection where main roads Bunnerong Rd, Anzac Parade and Gardeners Rd meet.

The initial proposal was asking for 399 boarding rooms with two extra storeys but those plans have since been amended by Scape.

Early artist impression of what the Kingsford development could look like.

The student tower will include a public plaza, basement parking and is a stone’s throw away from a light rail stop and Juniors Kingsford.

Scape’s fourth student development which was also recently approved includes a nine-storey building at 18-26 Ascot St, Kensington with 149 rooms.

It is understood a decision on another high-rise proposal, on a separate corner of the Todman Ave and Anzac Parade intersection at Kensington, is also nearing finalisation.

A Scape spokeswoman said it was investing over $1 billion on projects in the area.

A public plaza planned as part of the project on Anzac Parade.

“Global accommodation innovator Scape has received development approval for four of its Sydney projects, which will be built in Kensington and Kingsford,” the spokeswoman said.

“Development approval is imminent for Scape’s fifth project in this area.

“Scape is investing over $1 billion in these precincts over the next five years through its developments and ongoing operations.”

She said the K2K rezoning strategy had “paved the way for urban regeneration in the Anzac Parade corridor”.

“Scape looks forward to creating one of Sydney’s best living and learning environments off campus.”