The Greens at the Entrance: Plans lodged to rebuild club after fire

Plans have been lodged for a $10.5 million scaled-back rebuild of The Greens after it was damaged by fire including removing a bowling green for more parking. Here’s what you need to know.

The Greens at The Entrance will be scaled back to just one storey with one of the bowling greens removed to make way for more parking under new plans lodged with Central Coast Council.

But not everyone is happy with concerns from nearby residents worried about noise and increased traffic.

The club has sat empty since a fire ripped through the double storey section in March last year.

The site was turned into a temporary drive-through Covid testing centre last year but new plans have been lodged for a $10.526 million rebuild.

The club hosted a drive through Covid testing site last year but has otherwise remained empty. (AAP Image/Sue Graham)

Under the plans the two-storey fire damaged section will be removed while a new one-storey section will be added at an almost 90 degree angle to the existing one-storey section, which was not really damaged.

To make room for the new section and to accommodate more parking the number three bowling green will be removed while two other greens would get permanent shade sails over them.

Mingara Leisure Group leases the 6941sq m site after it acquired the club in September 2019 and has expressed a desire to purchase the land outright from Central Coast Council.

Artist’s impressions of the new look club together with shade sails over the bowling green. Picture: supplied.

Under the plans the existing section of the club will be gutted and the newly fitted out club will contain a reception area, lounge bar, internal and alfresco dining, gaming area, kitchen and service area, admin offices, plant room and a new 38-space car park with a designated drop off/pick up area.

The Entrance Bowling Club was first formed in 1939 and has long operated at a carparking deficit.

The club’s existing car park is in a small lot to the east of the site, owned by Mingara, with 31 spaces.

Under the current planning controls the club would required 118 spaces.

“The total number of existing and proposed car spaces is 69 (38 more than the current

situation),” the development application (DA) states.

“The proposed development reduces the floor area of the operations and as such, will only generate reduced parking to that previously approved. The Club has historically had a shortfall to carparking which council in the past has supported.”

The lounge bar will be open until midnight on weekdays, until 12.30am on Friday and Saturday nights and 11pm on Sundays.

However the gaming room will be open from 9am until 2am every day of the week.

The proposed new layout of the club with a new wraparound car park, drop off/pick up area and entry. Picture: supplied.

“The proposed development will have a positive impact on the public domain through

redeveloping the frontage of the site and provision of high-quality landscaping along

Warrigal Street and Park Road,” the DA states.

“At present, the corner frontage of the site provides no activation or visual interest and is bulky within the streetscape setting with zero setbacks and an unarticulated facade. The car park area to the corner frontage will open up to the streetscape, activating the new entrance of the club and improve pedestrian safety along both roads.”

However at least one submission against the proposal states the traffic count was done during Covid restrictions, which did not take into account the normal volumes or the increased vehicle movements during peak holiday times.

The DA states the existing two-storey part of the club is too bulky with no set back from the road. Picture: supplied.

“Obviously with a club redevelopment, attracting more patrons than previously (regardless of the club’s previous capacity) due to upgraded dining and gambling facilities, is the main aim of the redevelopment,” the submission states.

“Based on the plans provided, there will now be capacity for 54 patrons in an outdoor Sports Bar and Dining Area (and an additional 42 in gaming). This will significantly increase the current noise levels as rarely did that many people fill the outdoor areas and if it is a Sports Bar then presumably there would be sport on a TV which would create cheering and further noise levels.”

At least one submission is worried about increased noise from proposed outdoor areas. Picture: supplied.

The submission further states the 2am closing time for the gaming area “is totally unacceptable for local residents”.

“We have owned our property for over 40 years and although the club was there when we purchased, it has never operated to the capacity that this proposal encompasses,” the submission states.

“It will adversely affect our life by reducing street parking, increasing traffic, increasing day noise and absolutely affecting our ability to sleep and generally enjoy our own home.”

The proposal will ultimately be decided by the Local Planning Panel.