Developer’s $27m Bid for Seaside Shop-Top Housing
Plans for a $27-million shop top-housing development in a sleepy coastal area south of Sydney could spell a new era for the town.
The demolition of existing two-storey commercial buildings at 29-33 Market Street in Merimbula would make way for three five-storey buildings, creating a mixed-use development that would “re-establish Market Street as the retail and commercial hub”, according to planning documents.
The developer, Robert Green of Spungrow Development, has owned a portion of the 4000sq m site for about 40 years and mooted a retail development as early as 2005.
But the planned development has hit multiple hurdles along the way. A development application proposing building heights two storeys higher than allowed under planning controls has been referred to the NSW Planning Minister for gateway determination and will then go on exhibition.
Bega Valley Shire Council reportedly invited site specific planning applications.
The Squillace Architects-designed proposal is for ground floor retail, commercial space on the second floor and then three floors of apartments above this, for a total of 52 apartments across the three buildings.