A group of residents have opposed a developer's plan for more than 100 units in old Kingston, saying the community consultation process was a "tick the box" exercise.
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Local developer Zapari lodged an application for its Kennedy Street proposal in October.
The developer wants to demolish the existing two-storey commercial shops and replace them with a four-storey complex with 57 serviced apartments and 54 residential units.
A 15-metre-wide laneway is proposed at the rear to provide waste, substation and basement access from Eyre Street.
Richard Johnston, president of the Kingston and Barton Residents Group, described the proposal as "egregious over-development" of the block.
In the development application, Zapari and Purdon Planning stated the proposed building facade was the "result of a collaborative design process with the Kingston Barton Residents Group".
But Mr Johnston, a retired architect and former employee of the ACT Planning and Land Authority, criticised the consultation process, saying there was little communication from the developer.
The group met with the architect and planning consultant in February this year, which was a "reasonably positive" meeting, Mr Johnston said.
Another meeting was held mid-year, but Mr Johnston said the group's concerns about a lack of setbacks, the scale of the development and general "amenity" of some of the apartments went unanswered.
"We were a bit caught unawares and discovered that they hadn't changed really anything," he said.
The developer's original arched design was amended in response to feedback, but Mr Johnston said the changes stopped there.
The residents' group turned down an invitation for a third meeting with the developer.
Community groups previously voiced "grave concerns" about the ACT government's decision to remove the requirement for pre-development application consultation as part of recent planning system changes.
Residents concerned by reduced setbacks
Mr Johnston said the development application showed "a lot of departures from the Territory Plan".
"It pays absolutely no attention to required setbacks for the residential part of the building," he said.
The group's representation to the ACT planning authority states the upper three storeys would not comply with the requirement for setbacks of six metres from the front boundaries.
"While we would be prepared to consider a reduced front setback, based on the merits of a revised proposal, we do not consider that any reduction of the rear setback is warranted because of potential impacts on the neighbours to the south," the group's submission stated.
It also raised concerns with the location of the serviced apartments, some of which would be located in the first basement level.
"The lower level of hotel units is set two metres below adjacent ground level on the Kennedy Street side and three metres below ground at the rear, which would give these units very poor amenity," Mr Johnston said.
The group also stated the plot ratio was four times the maximum permitted under the relevant code.
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Mr Johnston said these concerns had been raised previously with the developer but the group had never received a response.
"All they've done is sort of tick the boxes and said 'yes, yes, we've had meetings'," he said.
Zapari was contacted for comment and referred The Canberra Times to the consultation report submitted with the development application.
The developer stated the setbacks were consistent with the criteria and the setback to the rear would be at least 15 metres from neighbouring residential dwellings.
In response to the group's assessment of the 410 per cent plot ratio, the developer stated the proposed it "allows the site to achieve the desired character" and would "bring people to the centre and ensure promotion of active travel".
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