Cairns council not convinced on 13-storey Florence St apartment tower
An impressive 13-storey development proposal on the fringe of the city’s emerging medical precinct has been met with scepticism by Cairns Regional Council.
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AN APARTMENT tower of 13 storeys and 41.43m height proposed for the corner of Lake St and Florence St in Cairns City has hit a hurdle with Cairns Regional Council not convinced the development aligns with its ‘city in a rainforest’ vision.
Bryant Developments is seeking to build 55 units plus space four offices, health care services, retail stores and cafes or restaurants at the site, which is vacant.
The proposed units are for permanent residential occupation.
The tower would include a three-storey podium with a recreational deck and pool area and 428sq m of ground floor commercial space.
The site is diagonally opposite Cairns Aquarium and next to Cairns 24 Hour Medical Centre.
Cairns Regional Council has given the developer until June 30 to provide more detail on height overlay codes, the concept of tropical urbanism and a landscape concept plan and visual impact assessment.
The council declined to comment as the planning process was under way.
The application initially went to the council last December.
Responding to initial information requests, the developer said the proposed non-residential uses would be similar to those nearby, including offices and medical facilities.
“With the upcoming expansion of the Cairns Hospital, it is reasonable to assume there will be an increased demand for supporting medical services in the locality,” the developer stated.
The application seeks a building with five four-bedroom units and 120 car spaces.
A slightly different iteration of the same development was previously approved by council in 2014.
The developer has been contacted for comment.
Meanwhile, a four storey commercial and short-term accommodation development has been proposed for the corner of McLeod St and Water St in Cairns North.
The development application states the mixed use development would be primarily 12 three-bedroom residential units atop a ground floor food and drink outlet, health care services and a shop.
It seeks approval for the units to be used as short-term accommodation.
The 1102 sqm site is vacant. It would be 16.27m high.
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Originally published as Cairns council not convinced on 13-storey Florence St apartment tower
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