Plans have been lodged with Newcastle council for a 13-storey mixed-use residential development on Hunter Street.
Documents reveal the $14-million proposal would be just under 45-metres tall, located on the edge of Newcastle West and Hamilton, next door to Fantastic Furniture and opposite the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
The 950-square-metre site is currently used as a car sale yard and motor mechanic, which would be demolished to make way for the 30-apartment tower, which will include a commercial space and semi-basement car parking.
The proposal was reviewed by the council's Urban Design Review Panel, which noted the triangular block was an "awkwardly shaped parcel [and] has tricky design parameters".
However, the panel found the design was an "elegant" response, and the proportion of the podium and tower "work reasonably well".
"The design is heavily influenced by the unique triangular shape of the site, view corridors towards the harbour and the desire to provide a positive and appropriate contribution to the Newcastle West streetscape," planning documents stated.
"The building consists of a four-storey podium, addressing both Hunter Street and the side Lane, with a more slender residential tower set."
In the development application, the developers say the site is well suited for a higher-intensity development due its close proximity to public transport, with rail interchange within 500 metres, and nearby recreational and commercial facilities.
"The development aims to satisfy the increasing housing demand, the changing social and demographic profile of the community, and the needs of the widest range of community members," the documents stated.
The building is expected to have 27 two-bed apartments and three one-bedroom apartments, with communal terraces on levels one and four. Three electric vehicle charging parking spaces will be provided for residents.
A traffic assessment found the development would only create an additional six to eight vehicle trips per hour during peak traffic times.
"The local road network around the site has sufficient spare capacity to cater for the development without the need for any upgrading of the road network," the report stated.
