The height of Building A has been reduced over the life of the planning proposal from 6 to 5 storeys. While the maximum building height remains at 21m, this height specifies the maximum permissible height of structures and must accommodate lift overruns and plantrooms; the majority of the likely building will be less than 21 m in height. This is shown in the diagram below from the Supplementary Urban Design Study + Indicative Scheme Rev V – March 2022 where the 21 m height limit is show as a blue line and the 5 storeys of the indicative building are shown below the height limit.

Officers haven’t recommended further reductions to the height of Building A as the proposed height is considered to be appropriate in the context, as demonstrated below with the higher levels having a greater setback to Alma Avenue. The site specific DCP will include controls for separation distances to adjacent properties.

The impact of the proposal on the residents of Alma Avenue is also considered to be appropriate in the context. The diagram below shows an indicative view looking east along Alma Avenue.

The Traffic and Parking Assessment Report by Varga Traffic Planning dated 28 March 2022 proposes to minimise the impact of the proposal on traffic in the local area by:

• Enforcing the SP2 Local Road zoning along Alma Avenue to result in a two-way road with footpaths which will enable two-way traffic flow in Alma Avenue either between Stanmore Road and Harrington Street, or Stanmore Road and the basement car park.
• Removing existing on-street parking and introducing No Stopping/No Parking restrictions on the western side of Tupper Street adjacent to the site to facilitate two-way traffic flow in Tupper Street.

The proposed response to traffic circulation is shown in the diagram below. These changes are aimed at ensuring access to the site is primarily from Stanmore Road. Any changes to Council’s road network would be determined by Council’s Engineers and Council’s Traffic Committee, who may also require additional changes to be made to minimise impacts from the proposal.

There will also be an additional local provision in the LEP amendment that development will not result in a significant increase to the amount of vehicular traffic in the area.

In addition, any future development application would need to comply with the existing Marrickville DCP 2011 parking rates for residential flat buildings and any commercial space.

In relation to club carparking rates, use of the current Marrickville DCP 2011 rates would result in a very low carparking requirement. To address this, the exhibited traffic report states further studies of comparable clubs will be used to arrive at acceptable carparking rate for the club and these rates will be included in the site specific DCP.

The part of the land that is currently zoned for road widening adjacent to Alma Avenue can only be used for roads, environmental protection works or recreation area under Inner West Local Environmental Plan 2022. This road widening would go ahead if the planning proposal were supported as, it is essential for traffic access to the Cyprus Club site.

Other aspects of the proposal would need to be addressed by a site specific DCP completed before a Development Application is lodged for the site to ensure the development is acceptable. Also, a Planning Agreement needs be signed/agreed by Council to ensure the proposed public benefits eventuate. This is why the recommendation of the council report is that the Council only support the planning proposal subject to the Department of Planning and Environment agreeing to defer the commencement of the LEP amendment so that it does not become operational until such time as the site specific DCP and Planning Agreement have been endorsed by Council.