A development application has been lodged for an 11-storey co-living apartment building in the growing Newcastle West precinct.
The development application for a 51-unit building at 28 Denison Street follows City of Newcastle awarding concept approval to the project in 2023.
The proposal by has decreased from 12 storeys in that time, down from 72 rooms across 15 floors in an original concept plan.
The building on the corner of Denison and Parry streets would include a ground level forecourt, multi-purpose communal/art space and a rooftop terrace. Three rooms are designed to cater for people with disabilities.
Co-living is similar to boarding homes in that they are both compact designed with communal areas in well-connected locations.
However, co-living projects differ in that they are not run by community housing providers and have a smaller density bonus than boarding homes.
The project was thought to be the first development in Newcastle designed under co-living provisions in the Housing State Environmental Planning policy put in place in 2021.
Since the concept approval was approved, development applications have also been lodged for co-living projects in Wallsend and Jesmond.
Planning documents state the rooms are intended to provide "permanent, relatively-affordable housing options in a highly-accessible CBD location".
All rooms would be fully furnished and have private bathrooms, kitchen facilities, living areas and balconies. The room sizes range from 17 to 24 square metres.
The building would have nine car spaces, five motorbike spots and an indoor area for 51 bicycles.
A site manager would be based within a proposed office space in the building.
The proposed 39.57-metre building is 13 metres lower than the height limit for the site but exceeds the allowable floor-space ratio.
The site is within a precinct set for rapid growth. A 20-storey apartment block has been approved for 20 Denison Street and two under-construction 30-storey developments, Dairy Farmers Corner and The Store, are each a few hundred metres away.
The lot is within a heritage conservation area but does not contain or adjoin sites of heritage significance.
The proposal includes the demolition of an existing building on the site.
