Council assessment recommends approval of new Cronulla hotel as opponents make last stand

Sutherland Shire Local Planning Panel is due to determine the development application on August 16.

The development named Parc, which includes five levels of office space, was approved in December 2021.

However, developer Sammut Group had to lodge a separate DA for a proposed food and drinks area - categorised as a "pub" - with capacity for nearly 900 people to be operated by the Feros Group on the bottom two levels.

A Sutherland Shire Council assessment report recommends approval with conditions, including a one-year trial of extended trading hours.

The North Cronulla and Woolooware Precinct Committee and concerned residents living near the site are mounting a last stand to try and stop the project. An appeal to delay the hearing to allow more time to study late amendments was turned down.

One of the main objections is the location next to the war memorial, with an increased risk of anti-social behaviour, vandalism and other damage.

Another is that having capacity for about 250 patrons on open air terraces looking out over the park, the hotel will "destroy the amenity of the park for others".

Other matters they have raised include noise, no parking provision and "traffic generation in streets that are already gridlocked".

North Cronulla and Woolooware Precinct Committee president Marilyn Urch said the Feros Group operated some good pubs, "but this is the wrong location".

The council assessment said 509 submissions were received, 88 of which were in objection.

The report said police had advised the applicant had adopted their recommendations and, although the area had an existing high level of alcohol related crime, police offered no objection subject to the recommended conditions of consent and further amendments to the Plan of Management.

The report concluded: "The application provides a high-quality food and drink venue within the busy Cronulla Town Centre. The pedestrian environment will be enhanced with high quality frontage treatments and good connectivity between the public and private domain".

Feros Group and Sammut Group said in a joint statement, "We've listened to the concerns expressed and worked with council and local authorities to come up with an approach that we believe will be right for this site, for Cronulla and the broader community".