The announcement of three apartment developments in the Dubbo CBD has created a huge wave of optimism in the city over the past two weeks.
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Kim Williams got the ball rolling when he announced he had development approval for a boutique set of residential apartments called Premiere Lane, to be located next to the Telstra Shop in Macquarie Street.
Just days after that Maas Group Family Properties went public with a concept drawing for their mixed use development on the former Daily Liberal site.
The site has been demolished this week, with all that remains a pile of rubble.
The third development was announced by John Walkom, and will be a unit complex with river frontage at the 1 Church Street site.
Three announcements within a few days of each other begs the question, which one will be done first?
The answer to that is still up in the air as all three proposals are at different stages.
Mr Williams has development approval for his project but has stated construction of Premiere Lane, which is being marketed as boutique high-end residential apartments, won’t commence until the units are sold.
Mr Walkom is close to lodging a development application of his own, but his parcel of land is still being occupied by offices, and the Maas Group project – which is by far the largest of the developments with residential, retail and office use - will have a development application lodged in December, but has already seen the existing premises levelled.
“We’re looking at lodging our DA in December, and from there it’s a 90-day process plus we’ll have to add in time for the Christmas break,” Maas Group Family Properties general manager Steve Guy said.
“The longer the site sits vacant, the more money it costs us, but we’re looking at probably the middle of next year before we start construction as we have to get approval and our project is regionally significant.
“Obviously it’s been busy with our announcement and the other announcements but I think there are some major differences between the projects and there should be room for everyone.”
What are the developments?
Premiere Lane
The 20-residence development is being co-ordinated by former Dubbo City councillor Kim Williams and his wife Ros.
Located at the old Heyer Ford and Country Cash and Trade site, apartments will be sold off the plan and the building will feature a retail level spanning about 1200m2.
The complex will front Macquarie Street and run down to Bligh Street, and will feature views over the Macquarie River as well as secure undercover parking and access.
The complex will feature one, two and three-bedroom units, as well as four special apartments on the top level that will feature their own private rooftop gardens.
“We’re excited by this. It’s the first of its kind for Dubbo and something we think can liven up the main street,” Mr Williams said.
1 Church Street
Overlooking the Macquarie River the development, which is slated to cost about $28 million, will service Dubbo’s growing tourism, business and conference needs.
It will feature 26 residential and 61 serviced apartments.
A development application for the project is expected to be lodged with Dubbo Regional Council in the near future.
But developer John Walkom reiterated there is no need for units to be sold prior to the demolition of the current site and construction starting.
“Our architect and consultants have been working on this for three months and it will be lodged by end of the month,” he said.
“We’ll go through the process, and hopefully formal approval will come in the first quarter of next year.”
216 Macquarie Street
The plan for the former Daily Liberal site includes contemporary ground floor retail and upper level commercial office space overlooking Macquarie Street, 200 serviced apartments and up to 90 residential apartments.
The now-demolished building’s proximity to the popular Old Bank restaurant will see the new building constructed around the eatery, and the developers have plans to redevelop and open up the lane beside the Old Bank to create a thriving café/restaurant and retail strip.
A development application is likely to be lodged in December, and Maas Group Family Properties are hopeful that construction will commence around the middle of 2018.
The building that housed the Daily Liberal, as well as the former press site, have been completely knocked down, with the site currently a pile of rubble.
But, as you can see from the concept drawing, there are some big plans for the precinct.