Accommodation for Sharks development squad players in final plans for Woolooware Bay Town Centre

The plans also include a hotel and “approximately 220 apartments” to be built above the already-approved Bay Central retail centre.

The number of apartments has crept up since the original proposal of “about 200”.

Community hub spaces and a Sharks centre of excellence are other features of the proposal, which has been submitted to the Department of Planning and Environment, with a request for environmental criteria that need to be met.

A spokeswoman for the club’s development partner Capital Bluestone said proposed “regional sports accommodation”, added to the plans, was a Sharks’ facility that would be integrated into the development.

“They will bring players from outside the area and regional areas to train and form part of the development squad,” she said.

Finalisation of the plans comes as residents prepare to move into stage one of the development, with a community shuttle bus to start running between Woolooware, Cronulla and Caringbah train stations and beaches.

Capital Bluestone managing director Ben Fairfax said the stage four plans would introduce a broader mix of uses into the site.

“Our modified plans mean we can produce an even more active, vibrant and safe town centre,” he said.

Mr Fairfax said they would contribute to the local tourism market, strengthen and modernise the resources of the Cronulla Sharks and provide much-needed community spaces in the retail centre.

The community spaces would be made available to groups “focusing on learning programs, support services, leisure activities and the arts”.

Mr Fairfax said Capital Bluestone was investigating bike and car sharing schemes as well as hospitality training and work opportunities for the site to capitalise on the entertainment and tourism hub.

Sharks group chief executive Lyall Gorman said the vision of strengthening the club while delivering a high-quality, masterplanned development was closer to becoming a reality.