ApartmentsHarrison CaithnessFri 16 Oct 26
Second Stage of Historic Wollongong Coke Works Precinct Waved Ahead
Legacy Property has won approval for Stage 2 of its redevelopment of the heritage-listed Corrimal Coke Works in Wollongong.
The green light came as the developer topped out the first stage of the precinct,
The 12,905sq m Stage 2 portion of the 18.2ha 27 Railway Street site on Dharawal land is next to the South Coast Line and within walking distance of Corrimal station.
It will yield 207 apartments including more than 25 per cent affordable housing (57 units), comprising 62 single-bed, 110 two-bed, 32 three-bed units and three studios.
Building heights range from four to six storeys, but state planners have flagged a two-level height reduction or increased upper-level setbacks for the proposed six-storey all-affordable tower (Building 2.2).
Legacy development director Steve Ball said the developer aimed to “create a publicly accessible place where the community can connect with Corrimal’s industrial past while embracing the future of this evolving neighbourhood”.
Half the site will become communal open green space. A 1912-built brick chimney and part of the coke oven battery will be shored up, while the original powerhouse will be adapted for reuse and anchor the Heritage Plaza.
Legacy shaved Building 2.2’s balconies a hair and swapped black cladding for beige in response to Heritage NSW’s concerns it would visually overwhelm the historic structures.
A concurrent proposal for the second to fourth stage's civil works including roads, superlot subdivision and landscaping of an about 8000sq m Southern Park was approved last year.
Also last year, Legacy was successful in its an appeal to the Land and Environment Court against the Wollongong City Council’s rejection of the now-topped-out first stage.
That stage comprises five towers and 179 units atop the heritage-listed coke works.
Three single-level basements will provide 251 car spaces, while Buildings 2.2 and 2.3 will share a single lot.
The state granted Legacy approval for 35 car spaces fewer than required due to Corrimal station’s close walking distance.
The NSW government’s draft Illawarra Shoalhaven plan aims to deliver 117,000 homes in the region over the next two decades.
The region is forecasted to grow about 31 per cent from 517,000 people to 678,000 by 2046.
Legacy is aiming to build 850 homes on the former steel fuel works, up from a 550-home plan.
Earlier in the year Legacy partnered with Billbergia on a $1 billion two-tower skyscraper at Macquaire Park.
Elsewhere in Macquarie Park, Legacy lodged modifications in January for an approved 20-storey apartment tower to add a level.
Legacy’s second-stage Corrimal Coke Works redevelopment will cost about $120.5 million to build and create about 350 jobs.
Realta reveals six-building scheme
Five kilometres south, Realta has filed a six-building mixed-use residential development of six to 13 storeys at Gwynneville.
It would yield 230 apartments—15 per cent affordable (35 units)—plus 84 student co-living spaces and a manager’s suite for a total of 315 homes.
The 1.34ha site at 70 Throsby Drive and 41-43 Foley Street on Dharawal land next to Beaton park is more than 1km from Wollongong station and less than 1.5km south of the University of Wollongong.
Unit typography would comprise 60 one, 139 two and 31 three-bedroom homes while the student accommodation would be split into 78 single and six double rooms in Building B.
Demolition would be staged to allow student residents to migrate to the new co-living block.
A ground floor cafe, co-working space and gym would open onto 3996sq m (5245sq m total) ground-level communal open space, including a green and courtyard.
The project would be delivered in two stages; Stage 1 western buildings A and B, with buildings C, D, E and F in Stage 2.
A concurrent rezoning proposal aims to raise building heights sixfold from 9m to reduced level 59m, and almost double floor space ratios.
Each grey, green and brown-clad tower sits on a part brick and sandstone podium.
Two basements of two-levels would provide 258 car spaces.
Less than 400m away, Urban Property Group filed the $235 million second stage of its under-construction Keira Place development in June.
Last month, Level 33 proposed a five-tower mixed-use development opposite Beaton Park, across the tracks from Realta’s holding, ranging nine to 46-storeys.
Realta’s mixed-use development would cost about $132 million to build over three years.
