SINGAPORE: Work has started to transform the site of what was once Wollongong gasworks into a major residential complex which will include affordable and specialist disability accommodation.

Keira Place is a mixed-use residential precinct at the eastern end of Smith Street.

A ground breaking ceremony was recently held to mark the start of construction on Stage 1 of the complex, which comprises 150 apartments across two nine-storey buildings, including 27 affordable housing apartments and 18 specialist disability accommodation dwellings, along with ground-floor retail and commercial space.

The developers and builders, Urban Property Group (Urban), also opened a sales display suite.

Urban co-CEO Patrick Elias said the ground breaking represented a significant milestone for Wollongong and reflected Urban’s long-term commitment to regional cities.

“Today’s ground breaking is about turning approvals into homes and moving quickly to deliver much-needed housing in Wollongong’s city centre,” Mr Elias said.

“Keira Place will provide a diverse mix of homes close to jobs, transport and services, while setting a high benchmark for quality, durability and consumer protection.”

MyLife Housing will manage the 18 NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) apartments, which includes one carer’s apartment.

The two-bedroom apartments will feature state-of-the-art assistive technology, smart home automation, open-plan interiors, high-end finishes and private balconies.

MyLife Housing managing director Karen Abdallah said the organisation believed access to well-designed, well-located housing changed lives.

“For people with disability, proximity to transport, services and community isn’t a bonus feature of a good home, it’s what makes independence possible,” she said.

She said Keira Place, with NDIS housing woven into the fabric of the building rather than separated from it, was the kind of project the sector needed more of and thanked Urban and the NSW Government for their commitment to making that happen in Wollongong.

Keira Place residents will have access to landscaped podium areas, communal rooftop amenities with views to Mount Keira and the Wollongong skyline, and convenient ground-level retail designed to support day-to-day living.

Wollongong MP and Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully said Keira Place was exactly the kind of development Wollongong needed – new homes which were close to transport, employment and services while supporting the continued growth and renewal of the CBD.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown said the precinct would deliver lasting community benefits for the city.

“Keira Place is a welcome addition to Wollongong’s CBD delivering new housing, affordable homes and activated street-level spaces that will benefit our community for years to come,” Cr Brown said.

“Urban Property Group’s investment reflects the confidence that quality developers have in Wollongong’s future, and I look forward to seeing this precinct come to life.”

Planning is underway for Stage 2 of the Keira Place precinct and Urban has flagged further projects in the Illawarra.