Narooma: $10m shop top apartment pinned for ‘informal carpark’ on Princes Hwy

A vacant block currently being used as an ‘informal carpark’ in a NSW south coast town could soon be transformed into a major shop top apartment complex if $10m plans are approved by a regional council. See the plans.

An artist’s impression of the proposed mixed-use apartment complex.

A vacant block used for ‘informal carparking’ in Narooma’s central business district could be transformed into a multimillion-dollar, mixed-use shop top apartment complex, with plans for the major development sitting with Eurobodalla Council.

The block, at the corner of McMillan Rd and the Princes Hwy, has been vacant for 11 years, with developers and block owners ‘DMPS Town Planning and Property Developers’ revealing their proposal to transform the corner lot.

A DMPS spokesman said the nearly $10m development, designed by architect firm Tony Owen Partners, would bring new accommodation and retail outlets to the coastal town.

“The last land use on the subject site was a Caltex service station which was decommissioned in around 2013,” the spokesman said in a statement.

“Following the decommissioning, the site was initially declared as contaminated, but following successful remediation works the contamination listing was lifted by the Environmental Protection authority on December 14, 2014.

The block has been used as an informal carpark for 11 years.

“Since the site has been vacant it has been used informally for carparking.”

Plans tendered in the development application showcase a five-level building, featuring 25 carparks and 20 storage areas in the basement, two retail premises, a lobby, 13 additional carparks and five storage rooms on level one, followed by multiple three and four bedroom apartments on levels two to five.

The proposed mixed-use apartment slightly exceeds Narooma's height limits.

The DMPS spokesman said in the application that the businesses for the two retail spaces would be chosen at a later date, but said the stores would run Monday to Saturday, 7am to 10pm.

“This application also seeks approval for the erection of four under awning business identification signs along the Princes Hwy frontage for the retail premises,” he said in the application.

The spokesman said in the application that the creation of the residential apartments would bring needed housing to the Narooma market.

While the spokesman did not reveal the estimated cost of the apartments, he said more housing options would have a positive effect on the market and in turn, bring down prices.

The mixed-use Narooma apartment has an estimated construction cost of $10m.

“In December 2023, the NSW Government implemented in-fill affordable housing reforms to encourage private developers

to boost affordable housing and deliver more market housing,” he said in the application.

The spokesman said in a statement that the design fitted with Narooma’s coastal aesthetic, but revealed the building exceeded height limits by 30 per cent, sitting at 18.45m.

He said he did not expect the height to be an issue, given the structure only exceeded the limit due to a decorative pergola on the roof.

“The pergola is considered acceptable and the height noncompliance is addressed in detail in the variation request,” he said.

The spokesman said in a statement he was hopeful Eurobodalla Council would approve the major proposal.

“The proposal is considered an appropriate development for the site, sensitively designed considering context, achieving activation of the Princes Hwy frontage while promoting good design as a suitable precedent for shop top housing development in the locality,” he said.

The development will remain on public exhibition until November 4.

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Originally published as Narooma: $10m shop top apartment pinned for ‘informal carpark’ on Princes Hwy