Princes Highway, Rockdale: Bayside planning panel to assess co-living 12-storey building

The $27m development is designed with renters in mind, with flexible contracts, all-inclusive rent fees and communal spaces where residents can enjoy events. However, the local council remains to be convinced.

A $27 million development application will be assessed by the Bayside Local Planning Panel, for the site at 570 Princes Highway, Rockdale (middle building) which proposed to provide 78 new co-living apartments. Picture: Knox Developments

A $27m development designed to house young renters who want to meet new people, hang out at social events and easily commute to the city is unlikely to get the green light from a planning authority.

Knox Developments submitted a proposal to Bayside Council last May for construction of a mixed use development comprised of a commercial retail cafe tenancy at ground level with two towers of nine storeys and 11 storeys located above at 570 Princes Hwy at Rockdale.

There will be 78 co-living rooms – eight of which will be accessible rooms – including 74 double rooms, four single rooms, and a manager’s residence.

There will also be communal areas including a roof top terrace on the rear building along with open or common space in the front tower on levels one, nine and 10.

The council has recommended the Bayside Local Planning Panel refuse the application at its meeting on September 12.

Aerial view of the site.

Developer Daniel Moroko spoke to this publication last year and said the co-living development was aimed at young professionals with rooms including a kitchenette and bathroom.

He said there would be flexible contracts, all-inclusive rent fees and communal spaces where residents could enjoy events, dinners, movie nights and fitness classes.

The site is currently Rockdale Shopping Paradise. Picture: Google Maps

“They will have the privacy of their own room but the development will be very community-focused,” Mr Moroko said.

“The project is aimed at getting everyone together to hang out. It will have a hostel vibe where people can meet, connect with other and get along.

“It is a social connection model aimed at getting people together. We wanted to get young professionals to have a good time in a safe, clean and responsible way.”

Mr Moroko previously said the units would come fully furnished and the weekly rent would include utility bills and Wi-Fi; with the complex being pet-friendly and cleaned.

Aerial view of the site.

He said the development was designed to be “green and sustainable”, prompting fewer individual cars and encouraged people to use public transport, ride or walk.

However, a council assessment has determined the development is not suitable because there is no on-site carparking and the design is not compatible with the area’s character.

A council report said the development failed to comply with planning regulations including providing residents “with a reasonable level of amenity” and “to ensure the scale of the development is compatible with the existing streetscape”.

There was also no plan of management that addressed safety, security, lighting and CCTV provided.

“The scale and design of the proposal is not suitable for the location and is not compatible with the desired future character of the locality,” the council report said.

“The proposed development results in unsatisfactory vehicular access and insufficient carparking on the site that will detrimentally impact on pedestrian and vehicular safety and the operation of Chapel Lane at the rear of the site.

“The proposed development is excessive in terms of its height, bulk, scale, and overall layout.

“The proposed development is not considered to be in the public interest and is likely to set an undesirable precedent.”

After meetings with council, the developer did amend the plan to include a EV charging station, reduction in height of one of the towers by two storeys to reduce overshadowing and providing a large roof top space, however the council report said despite this being an improvement, council staff were still concerned.