Bay of plenty: Ambitious plans for Woolooware expansion

Bluestone Property, the Cronulla Sharks’ development partner, said the proposed changes stem from the huge demand for homes already released and feedback about other facilities needed in Sutherland Shire.

The company said the ‘‘enhancement’’ would make the development ‘‘a true town centre’’.

Meetings have been arranged over the next week to brief club members and people who have already bought apartments in the development.

Sutherland Shire Council was the first to be briefed.

Bluestone said it wanted to work with the council and community to refine the plans before seeking approval from the state government’s Planning Assessment Commission.

The expansion is planned for the eastern side of Remondis Stadium, where the leagues club car park stands.

Approval has previously been given for this site to become a retail centre of five to six levels, including parking.

Under the revised plans, three apartment blocks would rise from a podium on top of the retail centre.

One block, facing Woolooware Bay, would be 10 storeys above podium level, and the other two buildings, on the boundary of Captain Cook Drive, would be six storeys up from the podium.

Bluestone said the area around the bases of the buildings would be extensively landscaped, with vertical gardens providing a ‘‘green wall’’ and ‘‘green top’’ to the retail centre.

Shared residential facilities would include an infinity edge pool overlooking Woolooware Bay.

A new 75-room hotel, including short term stay serviced apartments, as well as a function centre catering for 300-400 people would be built next to Captain Cook Drive.

The hotel and Sharkies leagues club would be entered via an elevated road  with views over Woolooware Bay.

Access would also be improved to the retail centre and there would be a public walkway from Captain Cook Drive to the foreshore.

Bluestone said its research and community feedback showed the shire was desperately in need of hotel accommodation and conference facilities.

A study commissioned by the council in 2013 had found the site was ideal for a new hotel.

Bluestone said the combination of a hotel and conference facilities, top sports stadium and retail centre close to Cronulla’s beaches could attract sporting teams from within Australia and overseas.

The  stadium would also be an attractive venue for a wide  variety of non-sporting shows and events.

The conference facilities would be owned and operated by the Sharks club.

Community spaces  have also been added to the plans. They would be for social, recreational, sporting, artistic and cultural purposes, and particularly for use by young people.

Bluestone said demand for community facilities had also led it to decide to sacrifice residential floor space and provide a men’s shed and child care centre in the next stage of the development on the western side of the stadium.

SPORTS CENTRE A BONUS

A sports centre of excellence would be built behind the ET Stand and extend around to the Southern Stand.

Bluestone said this facility could cater not only for the Sharks rugby league club, but also for other elite sports programs in the shire. It would have facilities such as a gym, fitness centre and treatment rooms that would be used year-around.

Bluestone said other codes had expressed interest in sharing its use and the NSW Institute of Sport had been approached about establishing a regional operation.

The question of who would fund the facility was not clear.

Bluestone said there was ‘‘a long way to go, but it could be a combination of re-investment by the Sharks and external funding,’’ the developer said.

COMMUNITY REACTION

Sharks chairman Damian Keogh was cautious.

‘‘The initial proposal around a further evolution of the retail and town centre appears to add to the overall development,’’ he said.

‘‘The club is working through this proposal with Bluestone regarding the potential returns to the club.

‘‘When we came on as a new board, we inherited a set of signed contracts with Bluestone from the previous board, which did not allow us to have any say over what they might do with their areas.

‘‘We have no control over it.

‘‘If they choose to do anything, we don’t have a veto right under the contract we inherited.’’

 Sutherland Shire mayor Kent Johns said he was pleased Bluestone was ‘‘engaging with the council at an early stage’’ and was ‘‘impressed they want to include hotel accommodation because this is something the shire desperately needs’’.

 Cronulla MP Mark Speakman, who opposed the size of the original development, said he would comment after receiving a briefing from Bluestone on Monday.

 Secretary of the Cronulla Residents Association Marilyn Urch said she was ‘‘shocked they are proposing three more big apartment blocks’’, but thought the hotel ‘‘could be a good idea’’ for tourism.

Former chairman of the Cronulla Residents Association George Capsis said the development had ‘‘ruined the area, and they are just going to keep adding to it’’.

HIGH DEMAND

‘‘Woolooware Bay has been embraced by the local community with property sales exceeding expectations,’’ Bluestone managing director Ben Fairfax said.

‘‘Ninety per cent of homes that have been released area already sold, the vast majority of these to shire residents. 

‘‘This clearly demonstrates the strong demand for homes in our community for our community.’’

Mr Fairfax said it was hoped to formally exhibit the plans in the first quarter of next year and obtain approval by July-August.

He said the changes would delay the construction of the retail centre by only ‘‘a couple of months’’.

Mr Fairfax said the apartment blocks could be built after the retail centre was opened.

He said the residential areas on the western and eastern side of the stadium would have different environments.

The proposed apartment blocks might particularly appeal to older residents because of their proximity to the retail centre.

Many homes would be designed with the needs of older residents in mind, he said.

What do you think of the expansion plans?