Recommendation backing multi-storey ocean liner design unit block goes to Albury Council

Senior council town planner Robert Duncan has recommended that councillors support the six-storey, 22-unit complex on the corner of Thurgoona and Pemberton streets.

In a report for Monday night's council meeting, Mr Duncan flags further changes which have been made to the project, following a public forum in June, and states it has met planning controls.

"The development is considered appropriate to the context and setting of the site," Mr Duncan concluded.

The latest alterations to the $11.5 million project include reconfiguring the size of street levels walls to make them less imposing.

Their height will drop by 30 per cent, down to 2.6 to 3.2 metres along Pemberton Street and 3.2 to 3.8 metres on Thurgoona Street.

IN OTHER NEWS:

There will be more landscaping and greater setbacks at the ground floor and four visitor car parks moved.

it will remain six storeys, after seven floors were originally proposed, with Habitat Planning director David Hunter, on behalf of developer the Barker Group, telling the council it was not feasible to remove another level.

Mr Duncan wrote: "The applicant has made considerable attempts to address community concerns, which have culminated in a relatively low amenity impact, site-specific designed apartment building, located on a prominent intersection in the CBD/commercial fringe."

In his report for councillors, Mr Duncan responds to objections which included the block being out of character for the area, overshadowing properties, removing views, creating traffic problems and overloading the sewerage network.

He points to changes made by the developer due to community concerns, including lowering the overall height from 25.8 metres to 22.5, and notes two immediate neighbours have written letters of support for the plan.

Overshadowing impacts are described as minimal and although nearby residents will lose views of Monument Hill, Mr Duncan states "it is widely recognised in planning law that property owners do not own a view and therefore development should not be refused on this basis".

Council traffic engineers have deemed traffic congestion will not an issue and the city's wastewater department declared the block would not have "adverse impacts on the sewerage system".

Mr Hunter responds to suggestions a basement car park could be formed by noting that was precluded due to earth being sealed as part of a clean-up of the former Ampol service station site.

"The land has been remediated and capped to a shallow depth that does not enable significant excavation," Mr Hunter told council.

"Construction of a basement would require the seal to be broken and further remediation works carried out.

"This is not feasible within the scope of the project."

The proposal includes 35 car parks on the ground floor level and 22 units.

They range between one and three bedrooms with the smallest 70 square metres and the largest 254 square metres.

The building is designed to have art deco elements and emulate an ocean liner.

However at the community forum, one objector branded it the "PS Butt Ugly" and an architect labelled it a "monstrosity" comparing its lack of setback to the walls of the old Beechworth jail.

To read more stories, download The Border Mail news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: