Ecove’s Inner-West Dual-Tower Plans Go Public

Ecove Group is moving ahead with its dual-tower project in Sydney’s inner west that includes aged-care units in its podium. 

State Significant Development plans for the project at 15-17, 25-27 Blaxland Road and 440-442 Concord Road, Rhodes East, are now on exhibition. 

The project has been upscaled from the plans Ecove started work on last year. 

The Sydney Olympic Park developer wants to build two towers of 22 and 27 storeys, up from its original plans for 17 and 21 storeys, necessitating a variation request on design and site requirement grounds.

The two residential towers would sit above a podium that includes a retail component, as well as a residential aged-care facility with 93 beds and 30 independent living units. 

Above that, 348 apartments are planned and below are four basement levels with parking for 431 cars. 

The apartments would be in a mix of one to four bedrooms. The majority, 133, are two-bedroom units.

▲ The two towers are neighboured by Billbergia and Meriton developments.

Bates Smart is the architect and Ethos Urban, newly acquired by Colliers, the planners for the project.

According to the Environmental Impact Statement, the application also seeks approval for a new fire station and landscaped public space on the 5608sq m site, which was amalgamated from seven lots. 

“It seeks to revitalise an underutilised strategic site to the immediate east of Rhodes Station to deliver housing and infrastructure that supports the delivery of housing in close proximity to public transport and the well-being and amenity of new residents and visitors,” the report said.

▲ A render of the proposed Blaxland Road project.

It would increase the diversity of housing typologies in the Canada Bay local government area, the application said.

The site is within the Rhodes Precinct and is subject to the Rhodes Place Strategy, which was finalised in September, 2021 by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (now known as DPHI) in partnership with the City of Canada Bay Council.

The strategy aims to transition former industrial sites in the “gateway site” between Rhodes Station and McIlwaine Park to new housing and public spaces, with the area identified for revitalisation through “a place-based approach”.

The Ecove site is surrounded by other major projects, including Billbergia’s 48-storey 9-13 Blaxland Road tower and an approved 28-storey Meriton apartment project as well as Deicorp’s recently approved affordable housing proposal. A number of the Rhodes Billbergia projects are to be fast-tracked through the new Housing Delivery Authority.