A development application for government-owned housing in Yarralumla has been approved despite a resident group raising concerns.
2 Schlich Street is the site of some of Canberra's first public housing, built in the 1950s.
The existing 10 homes have been untenanted for four years.
A development application lodged in August showed plans for 30 homes across three buildings, worth $16.23 million. The homes will be available to low-income earners.
Two of the buildings will have one- and two-bedroom units, each with a courtyard or balcony. The apartments in these buildings will span one level each.
The third building will include 10 two-storey townhouses with open-plan living and dining on the ground floor and two or three bedrooms upstairs.
The application was on public notification from September 9 to September 30, during which time 17 representations were received.
Nearby residents were concerned about the size of the third building, noting it would impact local amenity.
However, the notice of decision said 10 dwellings in the building were acceptable. The usual density limits under the Territory Plan do not apply to the block.
The responses also outlined concerns including loss of mature trees, buildings impacting outlook and less green space around the development.
The Yarralumla Residents Association said in September it had been blindsided by the plans, which it felt would impair parking and overshadow the street.
The development application was granted conditional approval in early November.
The residents group - of which 300 people are members - will now support the development if it is in keeping with the nature of the area.
President Peter Pharoah said the group remained concerned about the removal of 11 significant trees on site. But he was pleased by a condition that meant no vehicles could park on a nature strip adjacent to the block during construction.
"It is sad the ACT has left the site vacant for four years when it could have been home to 10 families," Mr Pharoah said.
He felt the government had allowed the property to become derelict. He previously described the plans as a heat sink.
"We look forward to the development starting," Mr Pharoah said.
The Canberra Times has contacted Housing ACT to ask when construction is likely to begin.
