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Sharks and Shire seek compromise
By John Mulcair
Talks are to be held between Cronulla Sharks and Sutherland Shire Council to reach an environmentally acceptable solution to the club's bid for a major redevelopment of its Woolooware bay site. A report tabled at the council's meeting this week showed several aspects pf the club's proposal were not acceptable to the State Government, which has previously said it would not allow exhibition of a draft local government plan, or redevelopment code, for the site.
The council report says while the government has not opposed expansion of the uses of the Sharks site, it does not support the scale of the proposed development. It generally agreed permitted uses be expanded to include residential flats, a hotel, a conference/convention centre, housing for seniors and associated retail facilities. The club's proposal involves development of much of the eastern car park side of its site, including high rise residential buildings. It must be rezoned, a process that has now been wending its way through the council for several years.
The report to the council said it had been hoped guidance for dealing with the Sharks' application might be provided by the newly released paper, Towards a Strategy for Botany Bay, prepared by the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources. It did not. The department wants the 19.8 metre high buildings wanted by the club cut to a maximum 15 metres, with dense tree plantings shielding them from Woolooware Bay.
There was considerable disagreement between different government agencies on how far buildings could be placed from the bay, ranging from 30 metres from the National Parks and Wildlife Service to 100 metres by the NSW Fisheries, a setback that would place the buildings near Woolooware golf course. An independent review of the club's environmental impact assessments for the development has revealed other issues to be addressed, the report said. These included groundwater dynamics, disturbance to acid sulfate soils, stormwater controls and noise and light management. It said some could be managed by suitable controls built into a draft local environmental plan.
The council received and noted the report and its recommendation that discussions continue with Sharks to produce a development acceptable to the Government.
By John Mulcair
Talks are to be held between Cronulla Sharks and Sutherland Shire Council to reach an environmentally acceptable solution to the club's bid for a major redevelopment of its Woolooware bay site. A report tabled at the council's meeting this week showed several aspects pf the club's proposal were not acceptable to the State Government, which has previously said it would not allow exhibition of a draft local government plan, or redevelopment code, for the site.
The council report says while the government has not opposed expansion of the uses of the Sharks site, it does not support the scale of the proposed development. It generally agreed permitted uses be expanded to include residential flats, a hotel, a conference/convention centre, housing for seniors and associated retail facilities. The club's proposal involves development of much of the eastern car park side of its site, including high rise residential buildings. It must be rezoned, a process that has now been wending its way through the council for several years.
The report to the council said it had been hoped guidance for dealing with the Sharks' application might be provided by the newly released paper, Towards a Strategy for Botany Bay, prepared by the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources. It did not. The department wants the 19.8 metre high buildings wanted by the club cut to a maximum 15 metres, with dense tree plantings shielding them from Woolooware Bay.
There was considerable disagreement between different government agencies on how far buildings could be placed from the bay, ranging from 30 metres from the National Parks and Wildlife Service to 100 metres by the NSW Fisheries, a setback that would place the buildings near Woolooware golf course. An independent review of the club's environmental impact assessments for the development has revealed other issues to be addressed, the report said. These included groundwater dynamics, disturbance to acid sulfate soils, stormwater controls and noise and light management. It said some could be managed by suitable controls built into a draft local environmental plan.
The council received and noted the report and its recommendation that discussions continue with Sharks to produce a development acceptable to the Government.
