Developer lodges plan for Darby Street apartment block

A development application from Cooks Hill Court Investments Pty Ltd says the $10 million project includes retail space and 32 units across two buildings separated by a courtyard. 

The apartments will have vehicle access off Railway Street to a basement car park with 45 spaces. 

The 1800-square-metre site includes an existing outdoor car park behind three single-storey eateries, 5 Sawyers, Darby Raj and Sanctum, and the Guanabana Designs clothing store.

5 Sawyers co-owner Steven Pickett said on Wednesday that the bar would stay open until building began but he and his partners were yet to decide what to do during and after construction.

If approved, the CKDS-designed development will be taller than many nearby buildings in Cooks Hill, but a statement of environmental effects lodged with the DA says the upper floors will be stepped back to maintain existing street wall heights.

CKDS senior associate Joel Chamberlain said the architects had consulted the city’s Urban Design Consultative Group before submitting plans to the council.

“We initially were looking at a lesser setback, but through discussions with them we’ve actually varied that,” Mr Chamberlain said.

“It was one of the interesting starting points for us because there’s a very varied mix of building types.

“What we picked up on is perhaps the more heritage grain of Darby Street, these terrace-style, shop-top housing buildings, so we’ve drawn cues from that in the way we’ve articulated that Darby Street facade.

“We’ve broken it down into these two-storey terrace elements.”

He said the ground-floor retail space on Darby Street had been designed to accommodate bars and restaurants in a street renowned for its eateries.

On the rear driveway access via Railway Street, Mr Chamberlain said: “It is quite a narrow street, but it was preferable to having access off Darby.”