Caritas developer to lodge DA by end of year

BY MICK ROBERTS

A development application is expected to be lodged with the NSW Planning Department for a $100 million residential and retail complex on the site of Darlinghurst’s Caritas mental health facility by the end of the year.
St Hilliers Property, who purchased the site from St Vincent’s Hospital earlier in the year for $20 million, plan to have the development started within a year ‘ pending the completion of a new replacement facility.
In April 2007, NSW Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, approved St Vincent’s and Mater Health to sell and redevelop the Caritas site at 299 Forbes Street, and relocate mental health services to the main St Vincents Hospital campus. The plan will allow St Vincents an integrated mental health, drug and alcohol and community health facility on the Darlinghurst site in partnership with the NSW Government.
A St Vincents spokesman said the hospital’s Caritas service buildings are old, outdated and are hampering the level of care that staff can offer.
The project will see patients accommodated in a secure, purpose built facility close to the emergency department and other services offered by St Vincent’s Hospital, he said.
Last year Minister Sartor rezoned the Caritas site for mixed use, to allow a combination of commercial and residential that will ‘complement and respect’ the historical character of the area.
In turn, St Vincents has demolished their existing O’Brien building and begun construction of an eight storey replacement building, 228 car parking spaces and ancillary facilities.
Meanwhile St Hilliars have permission to modify the existing Caritas House and Caritas Cottage – both items on the City Heritage Register; to build up to 112 residential units in new buildings of 5-7 storeys; plus create a basement car parking for up to 142 vehicles at the Forbes Street site.
St Hilliers chief executive Tim Casey told The City News the property group hoped to have a development application ready later in the year. He said the look was in keeping with housing in Elizabeth Bay rather than similar residential apartments in Darlinghurst.
He said the site would incorporate around 1,100 sqm of retail and restaurant space.
‘With a project like this our main hurdle is getting an understanding from residents what will be on offer,’ Mr Casey said.
There has been a long history of residents’ involvement and we aim to continue that along the way,’ he said.
Darlinghurst Residents Action Group (DRAG) has raised concerns over the sale of a site that has been used for mental health since 1850.
‘The density of the proposed development on this site was overwhelmingly opposed,’ DRAG spokesperson Jo Holder said.
‘The heritage impact on the buildings and surrounding heritage conservation area with some of Sydney’s oldest colonial buildings, the gaol and courthouse precinct was seriously detrimental,’ she said.
The Caritas development could use the model proposed by State Government and City of Sydney Council in Ultimo, where up to 700 new affordable, social and private housing units are planned, Ms Holder said.
She said a portion of heritage housing stock could be transferred to Council, a community housing association and or a co-operative housing organisation to manage the site for low-income housing with a priority to mental health housing.