Five-storey, 16m apartment block proposed for Parramatta Park conflicts with local planning rules
A developer has requested to build 28 apartments two minutes from Cairns’ CBD that would conflict with the council’s planning scheme, but is confident council will be favourable.
Cairns
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A Cairns developer’s proposal for a Parramatta Park apartment block would conflict with local planning rules but pre-lodgement discussions with council might have solved the problem.
The proposal for development on land at 53-59 Martyn St, located within a medium density zone about two minutes from the city’s CBD by car, includes five storeys of 28 apartments – 16 two-bedroom apartments and 12 three-bedroom apartments.
The building would be provided as two tower blocks with a connected central lobby.
It would stand 16.2m high and would have a site coverage – the percentage of land covered by the building – of 70.9 per cent.
These structural characteristics conflict with Cairns Regional Council’s assessment benchmarks.
According to the council’s planning scheme, buildings are not to be higher than 15m and four storeys within a medium density zone.
Further, dwellings cannot have a site coverage that is more than 50 per cent.
However, according to the DA, representatives of the applicant, F. Grasso and Company, had gained some reassurance from the council in pre-lodgement discussions on May 22, 2023.
“Council would be supportive of the development going an extra level higher, with the potential for some parking provided on Martyn St … given that upgrades to the road reserve are likely to be imposed,” the application stated.
“The applicant took this advice on board and revised the initial concept designs to include an additional level.
“This deviation in height would be considered very minimal in impact to pedestrians (and) adjoining properties when viewed from the streetscape.”
The application identified nearby buildings that flirted with the council’s maximum height limits, including a five-storey building further north on Martyn St, as additional justification for approval.
The application also identified three other nearby buildings in medium density zones that exceeded allowable site coverage limits.
“Although site coverage exceeds the maximum required acceptable outcome, council acknowledge that this is mostly attributed to ground parking and request that site coverage calculations be shown at each level on the plans,” the application stated.
The building would be bordered to the west by Mary St.
Each unit would contain a private balcony, varying in size from 10sq m to 18sq m, as well as a 2.5sq m ground-floor storage locker.
The building would also contain 48 parking spaces – 40 onsite and eight on-street spaces.
The ground floor would contain a communal pool and deck area, and a community space, including a BBQ, is proposed for the first floor.
The development would not be applicable for waiver of infrastructure charges under the council’s new development incentive as it falls outside of Cairns City.
However, should it be approved, the council could still waive its charges, which the application’s author estimated at $403,458.36, as the development could be considered “catalytic”.
A council spokesman confirmed pre-lodgement discussions had occurred.
“Advice was provided to the applicant,” the spokesman said.
“Council is currently assessing the application.”
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Originally published as Five-storey, 16m apartment block proposed for Parramatta Park conflicts with local planning rules
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