A mixed-use development has been proposed for Hurstville despite falling short of solar access requirements that could affect nearly a quarter of apartments. Ilacorp has filed plans with Georges River Council for the $19-million, nine-storey development on a 695sq m site at 117 Forest Road, 4km south-west of the Sydney CBD. ASIC lists Mohamed Chahine and Hussein Khamis as the company’s directors. The project, designed by Doroch Architects, would deliver 32 apartments, first-floor retail spaces and three basement levels providing 33 carparking spaces. The proposed apartment mix comprises three one-bedroom, 23 two-bedroom and six three-bedroom units, and six apartments are allocated as affordable housing. Documents show about 25 per cent of apartments would fail to receive any direct sunlight, exceeding the maximum allowable limit of 15 per cent under planning guidelines. Only 72 per cent of apartments would receive minimum two-hour direct sunlight between 9am and 3pm during mid-winter. The development requires a Clause 4.6 variation to exceed the standard 23m height limit within the MU1 Mixed Use zone, with the proposed building reaching 29.9 metres. ▲ Rendering of Ilacorp's 32-apartment scheme at Hurstville. According to the application, the variation cited “flexibility and better outcomes” as justification for the increased height. Design features include a red brick podium with grey fibre cement panels for upper levels, reflecting the character of nearby St George’s Hurstville Anglican Church. The project incorporates 698sq m of retail floor space and rooftop communal open space spanning 427sq m, exceeding minimum requirements with barbecue facilities, seating areas and shade structures. Sustainability measures include BASIX-compliant energy and water efficiency systems, onsite stormwater detention and treatment, and 14 bicycle parking spaces. The development is 650m from Hurstville Railway Station and in Hurstville’s established high-density corridor. It is surrounded by residential buildings of 12 to 15 storeys in the City East Transition Area precinct. The project forms part of broader regional development activity, with Georges River Council planning 8246 new homes across the St George region . The council’s Hurstville City Centre Urban Design Strategy addresses planning control mismatches to unlock development potential, while a separate $30-million development at nearby 309 Forest Road would deliver 393 homes including significant social housing components.
