Doma Group lodges plans for development on former CSIRO headquarters

Doma Group has lodged plans for their development on the former site of the CSIRO buildings in Campbell.

A proposal for 112 apartments and 129 townhouses has been submitted to the National Capital Authority, and from Saturday the public will be able to comment on the plans.

The plans have been revised down from a previous proposal which had more than double the number of dwellings slated for the four-hectare site.

“The number of homes on the site has been reduced from an indicative yield of over 600 units proposed by the previous owner,” Doma Group managing director Jure Domazet said.

Mr Domazet said this decision was made to allow for “extensively landscaped grounds”. Almost a third of the block will feature “deep root” planting.

“Rather than adding to the high-density apartments currently being developed in the city, we saw this as an opportunity to provide a verdant, landscaped refuge from urban life, while still providing the convenience of urban life,” he said.

The development will be called “Foothills”, named after its position near the base of Mt Ainslie.  It will be designed by Stewart Architecture.

Doma Group development manager Sam Toole said there would be one, two and three-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom townhouses.

“This variety of home types mean there will be something to suit first-home buyers, downsizers and even larger families,” he said.

“Foothills will result in a wider range of choice and genuine housing alternatives being available to people hoping to make this Inner North suburb home.”

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The Canberra developer purchased the site for $20 million three years ago. The building was originally earmarked with a guide of $40 million to $50 million but was revised down due to the amount of work that had to be completed on the site.

Shortly after purchasing the former headquarters, Doma Group submitted an application to the NCA to demolish the buildings, which sparked a stoush over the heritage value of the site.

But NCA decided last year the demolition was not inconsistent with the National Capital Plan.

The controversial demolition of the site began in October last year, with the works recently completed.

Mr Domazet said the group ” has had positive discussions with the neighbours about the lower density scheme”.

Colliers International will be marketing Foothills but the developer did not give any indication as to when it will hit the market.