Proposal for 300 units in Tuggeranong rejected

Developer Empire Global submitted plans for more than 300 apartments on Anketell Street, Greenway in October 2023.

The group proposed to demolish Guilfoyle House, a former government office, and replace it with two apartment buildings up to eight storeys tall.

The application was refused in April by the ACT Planning and Land Authority, which found a number of inconsistencies with the relevant planning codes.

Empire Global general manager Joe Tonkovic said the group would address the inconsistencies outlined in the refusal notice.

He said the group aims to lodge a reconsideration application in the next month.

A lack of solar access to the apartments was one of the key issues raised by the authority in its notice of decision.

"Access to sunlight is not considered acceptable and was not resolved or improved through further information request," the authority wrote.

It noted a substantial number of southern-facing units did not have access to direct sunlight.

The size of the dwellings was also called into question, with the authority noting the plans had included the enclosed part of the balconies, referred to as "principal private open space", as part of the minimum dwelling size requirements.

However this left an "unreasonable amount" of principal private open space, the notice said.

"Winter garden should not be counted as floor space as well as PPOS space," it said.

The authority also noted there were no clothes drying facilities provided on the balconies.

The $96 million project is the second and final stage of the Guilfoyle House redevelopment.

Over two buildings, the complex was to comprise 299 residential apartments, six serviced apartments and one commercial unit.

Three levels of basement parking were planned with a total of 371 car parking spaces.

The absence of any visitor car parks was noted by the planning authority in its refusal.

"Having no minimum rate of parking requirements does not alleviate the responsibility to provide feasible parking solutions and pushing demand onto existing road network is not a viable solution," the authority wrote.

While it was supported by some of the relevant entities, the plans were not supported by Icon Water, EvoEnergy and Transport Canberra and City Services.

The planning authority said given the changes that would be required to address the issues, it had refused the application.

The decision comes after another major development proposal was knocked back earlier this year.

In January, JWLand's plan for 730 units in Braddon was refused by the planning authority, which cited bedrooms without windows among its reasons for the decision.

The developer said amended plans would be submitted for reconsideration.