Updated | Work on Stage 4 of Sharks development delayed by impact of coronavirus

Work on the the final stage of the Sharks development has been delayed, with the new shopping centre and revitalised leagues club not expected to be completed until early 2023.

Developer Capital Bluestone, a division of Aoyuan International, says the delay is due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has impacted many businesses, but work will start "soon".

NRL games are expected to return to "Shark Park" in 2022 despite the development timeline being put back.

Sharks CEO Dino Mezzatesta said, "There will be challenges around the staging of games, but we will be working with the developer towards making the ground compliant and accessible to our members and fans for 2022 despite the fact construction will be on going."

When the Sharks Leagues Club closed in December 2019, officials were confident the rebuilt club would reopen at the end of 2021 or early 2022.

In the meantime, the Sharks have made Kareela Golf Club a second home.

Lack of activity on the Woolooware Bay Town Centre development site has caused speculation, which Capital Bluestone addressed in an email this week to Stage 4 retail and commercial stakeholders and residents and owners of Stages 1-3.

"Hoarding is soon to go up around the site signalling this next stage of construction," the statement said.

"Like all businesses and communities both here and across the world, we have been managing the impacts on this new and unusual COVID-19 environment.

"This means that while we are ensuring work continues, we are now expecting a 2023 delivery of the Bay Central Shopping Centre and the new Cronulla Sharks Leagues Club, with a late 2023 delivery on the apartments. This differs from our previously anticipated completion date of late 2022.

"We want to reassure you again of our unwavering commitment to this great community, and express our regret about this unavoidable delay to completion. Like everyone, we are very excited about seeing this fantastic place completed as always envisaged.

"In the meantime, we wanted to also share that despite the extraordinary events our community has experienced since the end of 2019, with impacts from bushfire, flood, drought and now COVID-19, business is happening, and we are maintaining some very positive momentum at Woolooware Bay.

"The project's hit some great milestones over the past 12 months - and particularly in the past six months. We're delighted that Stage 3 owners and residents have now joined our community. The roadworks on Captain Cook Drive are now complete - that was a massive, $25 million dollar project and it's great to see it finished. We've also worked closely with Woolooware High School to deliver them with a terrific new outdoor amphitheatre, electronic sign and much needed school fencing.

"There's also been considerable interest in the commercial suites available in the town centre - five out of 12 Bay Suites have now sold and mainly to local investors and business operators. Remaining suites range in size from 40sqm to 77sqm and are priced from $495,000 to $900,000.

"All spaces include private kitchenettes, shared male and female bathrooms, high speed NBN, air conditioning and carpet throughout. Each suite includes secure parking and access to visitor parking within the shopping centre.

"When it comes to Bay Central, the team has secured many tenancies - from the anchor stores of Woolworths, Dan Murphy's and ALDI, through to a number of restaurant and food offerings, childcare operator and gym - with more to come and more great announcements very soon."