Salter Brothers Unveils Newcastle Twin Towers Plans

Developer Salter Brothers has lodged plans for a two-stage development on a prime site near Newcastle’s Honeysuckle precinct that could add 228 apartments to the city’s dwindling housing stock. The development application, submitted to the City of Newcastle Council on January 2, outlines plans for two residential towers of 23 and 19 storeys at 12 Steel Street, about 2km west of the city centre. “The project aims to deliver high-quality housing, retail opportunities, and community-focused spaces,” the development application said. The site, spanning 4414sq m, is near Marketown Shopping Centre and the Honeysuckle light rail stop. The development would proceed in two stages. Stage One would deliver Tower A with 114 apartments, while retaining the existing Mercure-branded hotel and constructing a temporary multi-deck carpark. The second stage includes Tower B’s construction and the hotel’s redevelopment into a modern mixed-use space. The apartment mix would comprise 46 one-bedroom units of at least 50sq m, 146 two-bedroom units of minimum 70sq m, and 36 three-bedroom apartments starting from 90 square metres. Each apartment would include private outdoor space with balconies ranging from 8sq m to 12sq m, and storage provision in accordance with apartment size. Half the storage would be within each apartment. ▲ The development includes two mixed-use buildings with a four-storey podium and two residential towers. The proposal’s sustainability features include high-performance facades, natural ventilation, and renewable energy initiatives to meet BASIX standards. The project targets a 7-Star NatHERS average rating. The ground floor would include 894sq m of retail space, split across both stages, with 244sq m in Stage One and 650sq m in Stage Two. Ceiling heights would reach 3.3m in ground and first-floor mixed-use areas, with residential levels maintaining 2.7m heights in habitable rooms. Level four would house private resident amenities including communal dining and barbecue facilities. Proposed communal facilities include 1315sq m of open space, representing 30 per cent of the site area. The development would provide 257 parking spaces across four podium levels. A publicly accessible parklet would border Cottage Creek, while sustainability features would include double-glazed units with high visible light transmittance, onsite rainwater detention, and extensive rooftop vegetation. Delete Salter Brothers acquired the site in 2022 as part of its Tuckerbox Portfolio acquisition. The development team includes urban planners Ethos Urban, architects Bates Smart, and landscape designers Arcadia. The Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel would assess the project. The Melbourne-based developer has another Bates Smart and Mercure project in the works, with a 101-apartment 18-storey tower development proposed in Upper Mount Gravatt near Brisbane. In Newcastle, the development team is using the Clause 4.6 variation pathway under the city’s planning controls to seek approval for additional building height and modified separation distances. In exchange, the proposal offers public benefits including new open spaces and enhanced public access to Cottage Creek’s foreshore. The proposal assigns 388sq m for deep soil planting, representing 8 per cent of the site area. These areas would contain no basement structures or underground parking and will support large-scale trees and natural stormwater drainage. Due the site’s location next to Cottage Creek, the development incorporates flood management infrastructure. Heritage and archaeological assessments have been completed, addressing the site’s location within the Newcastle City Centre Heritage Conservation Area.

Salter Brothers Unveils Newcastle Twin Towers Plans

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