VICTORIA Park looks set to get its first high-rise development with the Town of Victoria Park passing a 12-storey $70 million development on the Sands & MacDougall site after months of controversy which polarised the local community.
The development proposal, submitted by The Planning Group on behalf of Wishstar Pty Ltd, includes two office buildings, four office/grouped dwelling units, 32 serviced apartments, 76 multiple dwellings, a restaurant and a fast-food outlet.
Council approval of the project puts to bed more than six months work by the developers to get something off the ground at the site.
The developers first sort approval for a four-level office development and residential development back in July, at which time the council argued that because of the proximity of the site it would be more appropriate for a larger landmark building to be placed on the site to provide an entrance statement.
Provided with this tentative approval for a high rise, the Planning Group next lodged an application for a 17-level commer-cial and residential building which was subsequently rejected by council.
In October, the developers than lodged an application for a 12-storey development, in line with the new Design Guidelines the council had endorsed, which, after some amendments, was passed at the February 13 council meeting.
The application split the community with the then oppos-ition spokesman for Planning Alannah MacTiernan also weigh-ing in on the debate.
The Planning Group director Gaetano Paduano said he was very impressed with the way council had handled the process. He said although the 17-storey proposal had been rejected, the final 12-storey plan was still the best outcome.
Wishstar partner property developer Warrick Gerrard said the company was talking to a number of substantial firms who were showing an interest in taking up some of the 6,000 square metres of office space.
The final drawings for the project were also being put together.
Mr Gerrard could not commit to when work on the project would begin, but he said it was not subject to any conditions or pre-sales of the residential component.
He praised the way the council had worked on the project to make it happen.
