Defence Housing Australia grabs slice of western Sydney

Defence Housing Australia has finally bought into Sydney’s booming inner west with plans for a $100 million-plus residential development on the former ThyssenKrupp Elevator site in Huntley St, Alexandria, about 6km from the CBD.

The federal government-controlled housing authority is understood to have forked out $32 million to buy the site in a bid to develop a $63 million investment-grade apartment and terrace complex.

Plans are before Sydney City Council for the Defence Housing authority to develop 155 apartments on the 18 Huntley St site, which spans 5590sqm and is opposite the 40ha Sydney Park — a centrepiece of Sydney’s newly revitalised inner west.

DHA also plans to develop 124 car spaces as well as space for 176 bicycles on the triangular-shaped site, which also fronts Mitchell Rd and Sydney Park Rd. DKO and Breath Architecture won a design competition for the site.

The proposed building design was inspired by local history, with the former brickworks site providing inspiration for the facade

DHA will look at developing a mix of housing, including apartments, on the back of their success at Lindfield on Sydney’s north shore.

More than 50% of the roof-top level of the development, which will rise to as high as six levels and which came off public exhibition recently, is dedicated to communal open space, while pocket parks have been spread across several levels of the development.

DHA’s application requires the approval of the NSW Office of Water for temporary dewatering of the former brickfields site.

According to DHA, the proposed building design was inspired by local history, with the former brickworks site providing inspiration for the facade.

DHA must demolish existing structures as well as undertaking land remediation, realignment of the existing Sydney Water stormwater easement, construction of basement car parking, construction of a residential flat building, and associated civil and landscaping works.

This article originally appeared on www.theaustralian.com.au/property.