A third approved apartment block is looking to go even bigger - taking advantage of new regulations to encourage affordable housing.
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And the planning department is okay with that.
In December last year Planning Minister Paul Scully introduced amendments to the State Environmental Planning Policy for Housing that allow developers to create taller buildings if they devoted 15 per cent of its floor space for affordable housing.
Last month, developer Level 33 lodged an upgraded development application for an approved nine-storey apartment block on the Villa D'oro site at Flinders Street.
The application looked to add in affordable housing, which would allow an extra two storeys to be added.
Since then, another approved development on Flinders Street is looking for approval to increase its nine-storey building by three storeys.
Now a third development that has already gone through the approval process with Wollongong City Council is back hoping to take advantage of the changes in the legislation.
The 15-storey shoptop tower at 2-8 Belmore Street - next to the pedestrian rail underpass linking to Denison Street - was approved by the Wollongong Local Planning Panel in May 2022.
Following the legislative changes, a revised application has been lodged to add another four storeys - taking it to 19 storeys.
Which means the council will have to take the time reassess another already-approved development.
A spokesperson from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure said the revision of already-approved development applications was an expected part of the legislation changes.
"The reconsideration of current proposals is part of the transition to integrating more affordable housing into more development applications, which is a positive outcome for areas where many homes are not affordable for families with low incomes," the spokesperson said.
They said there were several programs in place to support councils to process development applications faster.
"The in-fill affordable housing reforms were brought in to encourage private developers to boost affordable housing which is currently in high demand and short supply," the spokesperson said.
"The government is pleased that developers are taking up these incentives and delivering the additional affordable and market housing as intended."
The revised Belmore Street development would see another 20 apartments, taking the total to 82, along with an extra level of parking to fit another 24 spaces.
A new traffic study said the tower could generate an extra 60 trips in the morning peak and 39 in the evening.
Forty per cent of those would travel along Smith Street and 60 per cent entering and exiting via Belmore Street.
"The Victoria Street/Denison Street roundabout intersection is impacted greatest by the proposed development with 30 trip movements in the AM peak and 20 trip movements in the PM peak," the study found.
It said these extra vehicles would not affect the current performance of that roundabout.
The development application is on public exhibition until May 6.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
