Doltone House operators settles planning battle to open new function centre in Pyrmont

The operators of Doltone House have been given the green light to launch its third function centre at Pyrmont after sparking objections from residents – and leaving one local ‘nauseous’.

Doltone House Group’s executive chairman Paul Signorelli.

The operators of Doltone House have been given the green light to launch a new function centre in Pyrmont after sparking objections from residents – and leaving one local ‘nauseous’.

Contentious plans to allow the historic Arrow Marine Building to be used as a function centre catering up to 130 people at a time have been settled in the Land and Environment Court after a long-running planning battle with the City of Sydney.

The federation era building at 34 Pirrama Rd once operated as a garage for the adjacent Jones Bay Wharves and is listed as a local heritage item.

Approved plans for the site will now allow it to be transformed into a function centre and restaurant, operating seven days a week, as late as 11.30pm.

Plans for the new function centre were lodged by Arrow Marine Pty Ltd, operated by directors Paul Signorelli – the executive director of Doltone House Group – and Anna Cesarano – the chief executive of Doltone House Group.

A photo of the Arrow Marine Building.

Doltone House currently operates two nearby function centres for events including weddings at Jones Bay Wharf and Darling House in Pyrmont.

The court’s approval for the third function centre came after the City of Sydney rejected the proposal due to impacts of “patrons arriving and leaving the site en masse” and concerns over noise.

A view of the site and surrounding area.

The plans also sparked a petition signed by 396 opponents with some claiming the function centre would create “traffic chaos” and result in “drunken louts spilling onto surrounding streets’’.

Nearby homeowner Lesley Jenkins said “the thought of a third Doltone House function centre in the block nauseates me”.

The council’s refusal of the plans prompted Arrow Marine to launch an appeal to the Land and Environment Court which approved the development following a conciliation conference with the council.

The approval included various conditions on the operation of the venue, including a one year trial of reducing the proposed hours of operation from midnight to 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday, and 10.30pm on other days.

Local resident Elizabeth Elenius has opposed the function centre.

Elizabeth Elenius, from the Pyrmont community action group, attended multiple court hearings and said she was “gobsmacked” the council had settled the case.

“It means there’ll be another 100-plus people being ejected all at once impacting the residents of Pyrmont,” she said.

“We already have multiple function centres and it’s just hell for the residents particularly over the December holiday period and schoolies.

A development plan for the new function centre.

“Chaos erupts, everyone yells, young people in particular scream and carry on, and stretch limos take up masses of room in places they shouldn’t. We never opposed a restaurant, but we don’t want the function centre.”

Development plans for the venue state the proposal was in the “public interest” and also support the ongoing use of the heritage building for an economic purpose

The conditions of approval include a plan of management “to ensure people entering and leaving the premises do so in a manner that respects the nature of the surrounding locality”.

Doltone House and the City of Sydney were both contacted for comment but did not provide a response at the time of publication.

The court approval came after Doltone House previously opposed plans by tech giant Google to build a new office directly next to the Arrow Marine building which Doltone House argued would have blocked views from the site.