One of Australia’s most prominent architecture firms has appointed an established and highly regarded Sydney architect to manage its major expansion into New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
The new Principal of
ROTHELOWMAN NSW/ACT, Ben Pomroy, says housing construction is still well behind population growth in both NSW and the ACT with high-rise, mixed-use developments likely to become more commonplace across the city in coming years.
"The success of multi-residential developments already underway in Sydney’s south and western suburbs will encourage other councils to consider similar projects," he said.
Mr Pomroy brings the best possible experience in NSW and the ACT to ROTHELOWMAN, augmenting the company’s experience in Victoria and Queensland. He has extensive experience across all key sectors including mixed-use, retail and residential, as well as with integrated transport projects in both urban and regional environments.
Prior to joining ROTHELOWMAN, Mr Pomroy realised a number of successful projects from major retail centres and commercial developments such as the Shoalhaven and Sapphire marketplaces, the 23,000m2 Singleton Square, and the Bathurst City Centre, through to the 348-apartment, 18-storey, Altitude Apartments in Belconnen and the 390-apartment Woden Green master plan in the ACT.
Woolworths Ashfield, a showroom concept store on Parramatta road, compliments his work with Woolworths Corporate Property, where Mr Pomroy helped produce the company’s national standards for shopping centre developments.
Mr Pomroy is experienced with NSW’s Gateway Planning Process and the review process introduced in 2012, commenting that “the ability to review decisions gives architects and developers a right-of-reply and helps move projects through the planning process even when local government agencies are resistant.”
“The key is good design, and clearly articulating a rationale for your project proposal which when combined act as a powerful tool in progressing the approval process,” says Mr Pomroy. “Our interactive design process helps clients and town planning partners collaborate to achieve high-value added development on sites, whilst satisfying state government urban design outcomes.”
Mr Pomroy said ROTHELOWMAN’s experience in high-rise residential and mixed-use projects during the Melbourne development boom is a great advantage in NSW and the ACT, where these taller and more complicated developments have been much less common.
ROTHELOWMAN recently won approval for a $30 million mixed-use, multi-residential development in Burwood, with approvals for another several major projects expected in coming months.
Managing Principal Kim Lowman expects the Sydney office to generate between 30 per cent and 40 per cent of the firm’s revenue in less than three years.
The NSW/ACT operation will also target both local and regional projects in the commercial and hotels sectors and use the Sydney office to help expand its service to national and interstate clients.
