Updated
A boutique hotel, commercial offices, restaurants and function space are included in a proposed development on the edge of Monro Park at Cronulla.
Plans provide for a 13-storey tower opposite the train station, with a three-storey podium covering the rest of the site to lessen overshadowing of the park.
In a major departure from development at Cronulla in recent years, there would be no residential component.
The site at 138-142 Cronulla Street is occupied at present by 10 cafes, restaurants and shops.
It was bought this year by prominent developers Allen and John Sammut, whose last Cronulla project was Banc in the former Commonwealth Bank building.
The new project is named Parc.
Sammut Developments has been working with Sutherland Shire Council on plans for the site which is identified as a "gateway" location in the shire's development control plan (DCP).
A Planning Proposal (PP) has been submitted to the council for rezoning to amend the 2015 local environmental plan (LEP) to allow a more generous floor space ratio and increased maximum building height from 25 metres to 50 metres.
It also proposes a Voluntary Planning Agreement with the council for the provision of public toilets.
Under the plans, hotel hospitality (restaurants / function space), as well as commercial co-working spaces, would occupy the three levels of the podium.
The tower block would house commercial offices on levels four to seven, with 35 hotel rooms on levels eight to 12.
There would be a rooftop bar and communal area on level 13.
Three levels of basement parking, with 60 spaces, are proposed.
The PP said the need for this type of development had been identified in the council's strategic planning framework and was supported by the Cronulla Chamber of Commerce
Allen Sammut told the Leader, "I truly believe this is something that Cronulla will want, that will gateway that end of the mall and bring more life and activity".
"Cronulla is really struggling at present and that end of the mall is really just a transient space - people get off the train and walk past.
"I bought the property to do another Banc - residential and shops.
"Then, we saw an opportunity not to be missed, a once in a lifetime chance to work with the council to activate a fantastic gateway to Cronulla from the station.
"We talked with the council and came up with various schemes.
"I think we have now found the right mix - part hotel, part commercial and part hospitality."
Mr Sammut said overshadowing of the park was "obviously the biggest concern".
"No matter what gets built there, there will be an impact on the park," he said.
"We have tried to limit the impact to an acceptable level.
"The majority of [the development] will be low rise, with a tower on the western end.
"The modelling we have done shows that even on the worst day of the year, the winter solstice, 60 per cent of the park will be in sunlight."
Mr Sammut said the 50 metre maximum building height took into account extra height in the hospitality levels as well as the lift overrun and plant enclosure on top of the tower.
Only a small portion of the building reached 50 metes, and the bulk of it was 46 metres, he said.
Mr Sammut said Cronulla needed high quality commercial official space while there was now sufficient new residential in the pipeline - either proposed or under construction.
The PP said the DCP facilitated a "shop top housing" development for the site, comprising two storeys of commercial and five storeys of residential.
"An additional six storeys in tower massing is proposed," the PP said.
"This additional volume is primarily a result of the commercial viability of providing a hotel - a use that is much sought after in the location and supported by council."
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