A $35 million, nine-storey apartment development near the Scarborough coast has been approved by State planning officials. The project, located at 24–26 Brighton Road, less than 50 metres from West Coast Highway, will include 67 apartments with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, along with a ground-floor gym.
The development is led by QS Developments, which previously proposed an 18-storey tower and 12-storey hotel on the site. That earlier plan was approved in February 2023 but later scrapped. The new project includes 105 residential car parking bays, with 102 across two basement levels, plus ten visitor bays and five commercial bays at ground level.
The Metro Inner Development Assessment Panel unanimously approved the plans on Wednesday, following a recommendation from the City of Stirling. However, a condition requiring affordable housing was removed after developers argued it was not economically viable. They contended that the inclusion of one-bedroom apartments met the intent of affordable housing, negating the need to sell units to the Department of Communities.
A representative from Urbanista Town Planning stated that the dwelling mix was improved to include about 20 per cent one-bedroom units, satisfying the affordable housing objective. City of Stirling Councillor Suzanne Migdale, who served on the panel, supported the decision, citing the housing shortage and challenges facing developers. Panel member John Syme also endorsed the project, calling it a 'very successful development' that fits well with the Scarborough area.
