Menora-based Griffin Group has cleared planning hurdles to build two apartment projects in South Perth, estimated to cost about $28 million in total.
Menora-based Griffin Group has cleared planning hurdles to build two projects in South Perth, a nine-storey apartment building and a five-storey development, estimated to cost about $28 million in total.
The Metro Inner Development Assessment Panel has approved a proposal which comprises eight apartments across a nine-storey building on 13 Stone Street, at a recent meeting.
Two grouped dwellings on the Stone Street site will be demolished to make way for Griffin Group's project, dubbed Medika Residences.
The Medika project is valued at $12.4 million, and Griffin Group's plan to build a five-storey apartment development on 97 Esplanade has been estimated to cost $15.8 million, according to the DAP report.
Both projects have attracted some opposition from the community, including former Olympian and engineering executive Chris Pratt presenting against the Medika project on Stone Street.
In his submission, Mr Pratt said the proposed apartments did not meet the minimum statutory requirements for design excellence, despite the City of South Perth recommending the project be approved.
However, DAP deputy presiding member Karen Hyde said the plan had been assessed by the city's design review panel which comprises experts in their field.
"This has been through six separate assessments in order to seriously contemplate what it means to have design excellence and I’m prepared to accept the city’s design review panel opinion on that basis," she said at the meeting.
Griffin Group's proposed apartment building on 97 Esplanade, named NinetySeven, comprises seven dwellings across five levels.
The proposed development on 97 Esplanade, South Perth. Image: maarch architects via DAP documents
Gerry Kershaw presented against the project at the DAP meeting, representing the residents living at the Darley Heights apartment complex behind the NinetySeven subject site.
Ms Kershaw said the semi-basement of the proposed building was above ground, making the development six-storey high.
"It's effectively two floors higher than the most recently constructed adjacent buildings," she said.
Despite the complaints, City of South Perth councillor and DAP member Glenn Cridland said the project was a definite improvement for the site.
"It's a modest development, a lot of development we've seen before DAP have seen significantly greater amounts of residences go into the same lot," he said at the meeting.
"However, it is certainly a renewal of the housing stock that is on that location and is in my view, a significant improvement for the amenity of the area.
"It certainly is unfortunate that there would be some reduction of use, for sure, of people who live on Darley Heights behind... [but] I don’t feel it is a reason I could have use to refuse this particular building.
"Not everyone’s going to be happy, I’m sorry."
