PORT Stephens Council has approved the development of a new residential apartment complex in Soldiers Point at their recent Council meeting, following some discussion concerning a disputed ‘height variation’ which, it had been suggested, would exceed legislative guidelines.

The plans for the building in question – a five storey residential flat building comprising eighteen apartments and a ground level café space along with ground and underground parking – indicated the need for the roof to reach a height of 17.4 metres.

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Objections were raised during the application stage on the grounds that the building would exceed the fifteen metre development standard set by the NSW Department of Planning.

These objections were raised at the previous Council meeting on 11 April, with the result being that the motion to approve the application was deferred so that further talks could take place between the developers, the building’s designer and the action group responsible for raising the concerns.

The project planner, Jason Harmon, and the building architect, Kelly O’Connell, addressed Council during the time allotted for Public Access in order to explain the purpose behind the building’s design and the need for a variation of the development standard.

By Lindsay HALL