Nine storeys, $43 million: Next big step for Central Wagga development arrives

Wagga City Council is currently considering a proposed mixed-use residential and commercial complex set to house 98 residential premises in the centre of town.

Lodged by Damasa, the development will be located at 185 Morgan Street and 66-74 Murray Street and company director Manuel Donebus said it will be a major boon for the worsening housing crisis.

"When you put 98 dwellings on the market it should have a significant impact on affordability and supply," Damasa director Manuel Donebus said.

"This project will clearly have the ability to cater for people who are looking at the lower end of the spectrum with just one bedroom, right up to some more premium higher level apartments of a larger size closer to the top end of the market."

The project comprises Stage 3 of the Civitas project and the DA lodging comes two and a half years after plans for Stage 1 were first lodged with the council.

Stage 3A will see the construction of 54 apartments in a nine-storey complex featuring a roof-top terrace.

Stage 3B will see the construction of a seven-storey complex complete with terrace at the top and a further 36 units.

Stage 3C will include eight three-storey town houses.

The project is part of Damasa's ambitious plans to undertake a $180 million overhaul of the block at the centre of Morgan, Murray, Forsyth and Docker streets.

The project will also see the demolition of existing commercial premises at the location, which currently house several healthcare and commercial providers including a dentist and the Headspace Wagga office.

Addresssing any concerns about the future locations of these businesses, Mr Donebus said the aim is to keep them operating in the area.

"We have a strategy to retain existing tenants," he said.

Stages 3A and 3B of the project will provide new commercial spaces on the ground floor of the two multi-storey complexes.

"We want retailers on the ground floor of these buildings, so they can serve the residential population who will live above," Mr Donebus said.

He said the development was also likely to inject a significant economic boost into the Wagga CBD.

"The site is just 900 metres from the main street, so it's quite an easy walk and this should really be something that retailers in the CBD area will be looking forward to," he said.

Due to several reasons including the height and scale of the Civitas project, it has previously been the focus of criticism from corners of the community including local residents.

Concerns have also previously been raised about the impacts to street parking and traffic.

However, Mr Donebus said the DA complies with requirements previously placed on the project when they passed an overarching plan for the $180 million project years ago.

"We went through this planning proposal process which involved having a masterplan approved," he said.

"That was approved with various levels of heights across the site and this all went through community consultation. But the application for Stage 3 complies with all those requirements."

He said this included significant work on the impacts of storm water in the area.

"That was also a concern to the local residents but it's not impacted by our development," he said.

Mr Donebus said they have "addressed all of the issues."

"We're just doing what we said we were going to do, so there shouldn't be any surprises," he said.

"And certainly in the current climate of housing affordability and supply in regional areas and particularly Wagga, we think this project will be widely welcomed across the community."