Plans for a key site in a developing Sunshine Coast area have changed.
The Habitat Development Group has submitted an application for a major amendment to the site development plan for a 3000sqm block bounded by Central Avenue, Southbank Parkway and Little Grey Court at Birtinya.
The previously approved plan for the site allowed for a block of 77 units with 432sqm of retail and parking for 188 vehicles, mirrored by another block on the other side of Little Grey Court.
The amended application is for a block of 87 units but a higher proportion of three- and four-bedroom units pushes up the number of bedrooms from 175 in the previous approval to 250.
The proposed building would have 285sqm of retail and parking for 182 vehicles, of which 143 would be for visitors, 25 for visitors and 14 for commercial use.
It would have 87 residential bike parking spaces and 28 for visitors and staff.
A traffic engineering report describes the parking as “generally sufficient” for the building and mentions that bus stops are 500m to 900m away, a proposed train station would be 1km away and there are cycleways and wide footpaths nearby.
The building would be eight storeys on top of a double-level basement, keeping within a 25m height limit except for roof structures of up to 3m on top.
The assessment report describes the amendments sought as a more “refined development outcome” and the building as “modern and elegant”.
“Vertical and horizontal articulation is evident in every elevation. The architectural imagery illustrates the scale and bulk of the buildings and the limited extent of continuous blank walls,” it says.
“The buildings will present as modern, elegant and attractive forms with high-quality facades that address all frontages.
“The buildings have not been designed as sealed structures but rather as permeable buildings with semi-ventilated cores with reasonable levels of cross-ventilation.
“These features dramatically reduce each residential building’s reliance on air conditioning and connect future residents to their immediate surrounds.”
The Habitat Development Group, directed by Cleighton and Steele Clark, has been responsible for Sunshine Coast unit developments including Market Lane Residences and Market Lane Collection in Maroochydore, and Botanica in Sippy Downs.
The Birtinya site is owned by Unison Bravo Projects, which is owned by Super Amart founder John Lieshout and family members.
The assessment report says the building meets benchmarks. The application now sits with the Sunshine Coast Council for consideration.
