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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Brittney Levinson

Plans for $400 million apartment and hotel complex in Belconnen

Developer JWLand has revealed an early look at its plan for a $400 million residential and hotel complex in Belconnen.

The developer is seeking community feedback on its plans for the site on the corner of Lathlain and Cohen streets, opposite Westfield Belconnen.

JWLand purchased the block from the Suburban Land Agency for $18.25 million in August.

The developer has proposed a "vibrant mixed-use precinct" with an estimated completion date of 2028.

The project will include 419 residential apartments, a hotel, serviced apartments and commercial office spaces.

A development of up to 18-storeys-tall could be built in Belconnen. Picture JWLand

Early designs show the complex would be separated into four buildings, varying in height. There would be 419 residential apartments across two buildings, 12 and 18 storeys tall.

An 18-storey building would include 126 hotel rooms, while another 18-storey building would house 142 serviced apartments, the plans show.

The plans also state 12 per cent of homes would be affordable units and 1 per cent would be community housing.

Retail spaces would occupy the ground floors of the buildings and office spaces would be located on level one of the residential buildings. Parking for 644 cars would be spread across four basement levels.

The site was marketed for sale as having the potential for up to 18 storeys and 436 homes.

Project to sit within new 'eat street'

The 5700-square-metre Lathlain Street block forms part of the new Belconnen Village precinct, on land that once housed the police station and remand centre.

JWLand's development will sit within a proposed "Lathlain eat street" precinct and will be integrated with a large urban park being developed by the ACT government next to the site, the consultation website states.

JWLand presented the plans to the Belconnen Community Council in October.

Artist impressions of the proposed development viewed from Lathlain Street (left) and the corner of Lathlain and Cohen streets (right). Picture JWLand

Belconnen Community Council chair Lachlan Butler said the proposal appeared to interact well with its location next to a proposed public park.

But the group was concerned, more broadly, about how the public transport system and infrastructure would cope with "thousands of people" moving into new developments in the area.

"We're not seeing any meaningful progress towards improving public transport, improving the nightlife of the town centre, improving the economic environment," he said.

The developer is hosting an in-person community information session on November 16 to discuss the designs.

JWLand is developing another site in Belconnen, where it plans to build a residential and build-to-rent project on Chandler Street.

The group's development application was knocked back in April, forcing them back to the drawing board.

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