After many years of planning, a development application has been lodged to bring antiquated facilities at North Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club into the modern age.
The $8.5 million project involves demolishing old, ground-level facilities at the southern end of the club and building a two-storey extension to the existing, heritage-listed building, which opened in 1950.
Old facilities to be demolished include gear storage areas, kiosk, lifeguard station, toilets and change rooms.
On the south-east corner of the new extension, at ground level facing the beach, will be a modern, covered kiosk-cafe, including outdoor tables..
Next to the kiosk will be a new lifeguard room, first aid station and much larger gear storage complex.
The south-west of the building will include three toilets and a small kisok, which will be handy to the children’s playground.
At the rear of the new building will be 11 public toilets and change rooms.
The second level of the new building will include a large commercial space, suitable for restaurant or function use, with a covered balcony overlooking the beach.
A nippers’ room with a covered balcony will be at the north-western end of the new building overlooking the pool.
As part of the redevelopment, the heritage building will undergo a major upgrade to make it compliant with fire safety and accessibility laws.
A lift in the new building will also service the existing building, and they will be on the same level.
The development application (DA) will be assessed by Sutherland Shire Council before being determined by Sydney South Planning Panel.
The building is owned by the council and leased to the surf club.
Club deputy president Craig McKinniery said substantial changes had been made to the original masterplan, which was made public in January, 2015.
Mr McKinniery was president when the process started, but took a step back to drive the project, handing over the running of regular operations to new president Geoff Budd.
“We have worked very closely with the council staff, councillors and ARAP (Architectural Review Advisory Panel),” Mr McKinniery said.
“We pulled the facade of the eastern side of the new building right back so it sits on the line of, and blends in with, the old building.
“The lifeguard room and first aid station are closer to the beach.
“The council requested extra toilets and facilties and they have been incorporated.”
Mr McKinniery said the western side of the building would extend beyond the footprint permitted in the present plan of management.
However, the DA would comply with a new draft plan of management, which had not yet been exhibited.
Mr McKinniery said the DA process could take four to six months after which the club would be in a better position to obtain government funding and interest from commercial operators.
Mr McKinniery was reluctant to give a projected completion date, partly because the club has to continue operations while the redevelopment takes place.
He said his personal view was they would probably start by upgrading the heritage-listed building before knocking down the old facilities and building the new extension.
The female member change rooms are 40 years old and are probably the worst in Sutherland Shire
- Club president Craig McKinniery
Mr McKinniery said the club’s present facilities were outdated and greatly inadequate.
”The gear storage area was built in the 1970s when we had 400 members, and there are now over 1300,” he said.
“The female member change rooms are 40 years old and are probably the worst in Sutherland Shire.
“We have members who have been at the club for 70 years and, at the annual general meeting, we have to carry them up the stairs in wheelchairs.”
Mr McKinniery said an older member had to be evacuated from the top level by the fire brigade with a HIAB crane after a medical episode.
Mr McKinniery said former, long-time president Harry Brown OAM had been “driving me on” to make the redevelopment a reality.
“Harry was looking redevelopment in the 1970s and originally thought about putting squash courts on top of the gear complex,” he said.
CLUB PRESENTS CASE
The DA said the club, which began in 1925, had a proud history of serving the community.
“Like many other clubs, its facilities are dated and not meeting the current needs of the club,” the DA said.
“For some years the club has been working on plans and considering funding models to achieve an upgrade of its facilities.
“The drivers have been to increase the space available to store equipment and resources, to upgrade general club facilities, upgrade public facilities, such as toilets and change rooms, and to create a space that can be commercially leased to provide ongoing income for the club.”
The DA said the club was seeking to become self sufficient in its operations, including commercial ventures of restaurants and cafes, and public use of facilities such as function rooms.
“The proposed alterations and additions will result in a modern, high quality surf club, which will provide new facilities to its members in terms of an upgrade to internal facilities including change rooms and storage of equipment,” the DA said.
“The new commercial space at the first floor will provide the opportunity for additional restaurant type uses within the Cronulla precinct.
“The specific use of that space will be subject to a further development application.”
The DA said the proposed upgrading to the adjoining open space areas would result in “a useable, pedestrian friendly and lively public space along the North Cronulla foreshore”.
“The proposal has been designed through extensive consultation with council staff,” it said.
“The upgrade of surf club facilities within NSW and Queensland have resulted in well used club facilities which contribute to local and state tourism.”
