The Raiders' planned $80 million residential and retail development in Braddon has hit another hurdle, with a community council contesting the Planning and Land Authority's approval of the project.
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The North Canberra Community Council has appealed the authority's December 23 approval of the development application to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Council chairman Mike Hettinger said the challenge focused on perceived inconsistencies with the Territory Plan, as well as access to sunlight, trees, the zoning codes and rubbish removal.
"What we want to see there is a design that's compliant and also provides access to amenities and an improvement in building standards," he said.
The planning authority in its approval said "the decision is inconsistent with advice from the conservator; [Territory and Municipal Services Directorate]; and Icon Water", but included a condition that construction could not begin until it received a final endorsement from the latter two organisations.
The developers will also be required to submit a conservation management plan for the replanting of perimeter trees around the block to the ACT Heritage Council, which must endorse the proposal before it can go ahead.
The mixed residential-commercial development application for 160 units, shops, restaurants and offices on the site of the old Braddon Club was first lodged in 2013, but has faced challenges since.
In July 2014, ACAT turned down the North Canberra Community Council's challenge to the removal of concessional status of the land's lease.
The challengers had argued the site should be left as an area for community recreational use, but the tribunal found the removing the concessional status would not disadvantage residents and the wider community.
Mr Hettinger said the timing of the report's release two days before Christmas had made it difficult for the council to find grounds for an appeal before the deadline in January.
He said he was confident there was a chance of the appeal succeeded, but said there were many variables in the case.
"It's not so much about stalling it as we want something there that's reasonable," he said.
"We wouldn't do it if we didn't think we had a chance of succeeding."
Raiders Trading Group chief executive Simon Hawkins said he did not expect any major issues to arise from the appeal.
"We engage the best architects and consultants and we go through a proper process that's lawful and legitimate," he said.
The development cannot proceed until the appeal has been finalised with ACAT.
The appeal will go to mediation on March 3, with another directions hearing possible depending on the result.
The Braddon Club closed for financial reasons in June 2013 and demolition began in October last year.
