Randwick councillors endorsed $52m student accommodation after affordable housing agreement

An eastern suburbs council has endorsed a $52m student housing accommodation, which will sit on one of the area’s busiest roads. However, the Greens said it would not “address the rental and housing crisis”.

Artist impression of the proposed design of 277-291 Anzac Parade, Kingsford. Photo: Bates Smart

An eastern suburbs council has endorsed a $52m student housing accommodation, which will sit on one of the area’s busiest roads.

Randwick councillors recently voted to support a voluntary planning agreement with Iglu which would cater for 300 residents spread across 285 co-living rooms inside one 18-storeys tall tower at 277-291 Anzac Pde, Kingsford.

Greens councillor Philipa Veitch, who was one of three who voted against the motion, said there was already 2000 studios approved for development in Kingsford and Kensington and there was also 1000 “more in the pipeline”.

Ms Veitch said the “vast majority” of the rooms were “tiny studio apartments” which are developed by multinational student accommodation operators like Iglu.

“They are large businesses seeking to extract a profit out of university students who are already being hit with massive fees and debt,” Ms Veitch explained.

Artist impression of the proposed design at 277-291 Anzac Pde, Kingsford. Photo: Bates Smart

Randwick Council has endorsed the proposal. Photo: Bates Smart

“It’s not diverse or affordable housing and it will not in anyway address the rental and housing crisis.”

Iglu’s proposed development will be “mixed-use” and would also include retail and commercial space as well as 14 car spaces and 90 bicycle spaces with an estimated cost of $52,690,000.

As part of the agreement with council, through a ‘voluntary planning agreement’, Iglu would provide five per cent of its total residential floor area to affordable housing and a monetary contribution of $5,608,750.

Despite council voting in favour of the VPA, the development is anticipated to go before the Sydney Eastern Planning Panel on August 10.

Despite Iglu’s affordable housing commitment, it wasn’t enough for Ms Veitch who said “what we should be doing is building more public, affordable and diverse housing”.

“What we’re seeing instead is the state Labor government breaking an election promise and destroying more public housing for residents most in need,” Ms Veitch said.

“Only just today (Tuesday), we have a public housing block on Anzac Pde, Maroubra being demolished.

“Councillors were given no notice whatsoever and I don’t know if this land has already been sold-off prior to demolition or what the plans are for this site.”

Ms Veitch only recently campaigned against another Iglu development which partnered with the University of New South Wales for 1100 student accommodation rooms at 215B Anzac Pde, Kensington.

The rooms which are expected to cost $650 per week are slated for UNSW’s western car park, and the largest building would be 23 storeys tall and be about 74 metres.