Concept plan for development former on CSIRO headquarters approved

The National Capital Authority has approved a concept plan for Doma’s development on the former site of the CSIRO headquarters in Campbell.

The application, lodged in June, proposed 112 apartments and 129 townhouses on the four-hectare site, along with landscaped grounds allowing for deep-root planting.

The plan was a revision from a previous proposal for more than 600 units.

The development, called The Foothills, will be solely residential, Doma managing director Jure Domazet said.

“Under the current plan, a wide range of home sizes and types will be available, from a 67-square-metre one-bedroom apartment to a 225-square-metre four-bedroom townhouse,” he said.

A development application for the first stage – which will include the apartments, some townhouses and communal amenity – is expected to be lodged soon, according to Doma. 

“We hope to launch The Foothills to the public in early 2020 and begin on-site works in the middle of next year,” said Mr Domazet.

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Prices for the apartments are expected to begin at $400,000, and townhouses will be priced from $750,000.

Mr Domazet said it is anticipated communal amenities on the site will include a pool, tennis court, gym, theatre, internal park areas and a concierge service.

“Due to its location, The Foothills offers the best of both worlds – city living and the great outdoors,” he said. 

“[It’s] only one kilometre from the CBD, yet when residents come home they will be surrounded by green space and can escape into the nature reserve for exercise or to simply commune with nature.”

Doma purchased the former federal government agency site for $20 million in 2016 after the CSIRO moved its headquarters to a site at Black Mountain.

The developer demolished the original buildings on the site, with works completed earlier this year.

It comes as the developer, last month lodged a separate application to build 136 apartments on the former Red Hill public housing site.