Plans for redevelopment of the abandoned Balmain Leagues Club site at Rozelle rejected by the Land and Environment Court

A PUSH for a 12-storey apartment block and the return of the Balmain Leagues Club to Rozelle has been rejected by the Land and Environment Court. The decision ends an 11-year saga.

A BID to redevelop the former Balmain Leagues Club site, including two multistorey apartment towers, has failed.

After an 11-year saga, the Land and Environment this morning ruled that the eight and 12-storey buildings, as well as a shopping centre with 11 speciality shops at Rozelle, cannot go ahead.

The owners and developers of the proposed Rozelle Village site along Victoria Rd and Darling St had appealed a decision by the NSW Government’s Sydney East Joint Regional Planning Panel to reject the development.

An artist's impression of the proposed redevelopment of the Balmain Leagues Club site in Rozelle.

That application included the building of 135 apartments and premises to allow the leagues club to return to the site.

In 2014 the developers, headed by eastern suburbs real estate agent Ian Wright, had a much bigger development proposal, which included 24 and 20-storey apartment blocks, rejected by the Government because it would have had a massive impact on local traffic flows.

This came after earlier proposals for Rozelle Village to have towers at 32 and 26 storeys, and then 25 and 24 storeys had been rejected.

Local residents had feared the current development proposal — with a maximum height of 12 storeys — would not fit in with Rozelle’s low-rise village atmosphere, increased traffic would choke backstreets and small retailers in Darling St would suffer a loss in trade.

Rozelle Village developer Ian Wright at the Balmain Leagues Club site.

Transport for NSW also had concerns that the development could affect a future corridor for a possible CBD Metro rail line and station.

The developer, Urbis Pty Ltd, had said that its development would allow the leagues club to return to Rozelle and rent premises six years after it left the site after struggling with massive financial problems.

But the court was told that increased traffic generation, particularly from the supermarket, will impact on traffic congestion and pedestrian safety. There were also concerns about noise levels from an outdoor terrace proposed for the leagues club.

In a written judgment dismissing the developer’s appeal, Commissioner Annelise Tuor said that the proposal did not meet a number of planning objectives.

Commissioner Tuor said there were also doubts about the amount of space set aside for the leagues club “to promote its long term viability”.

The old Balmain leagues club has fallen into disrepair.

She found that the design of the proposal does not demonstrate that it will contribute to the vibrancy and prosperity of the Rozelle Commercial Centre.

“Nor does the evidence demonstrate that the proposal will have an acceptable impact on traffic around the site.” Commissioner Tuor wrote.

Former Leichhardt mayor Darcy Byrne said the court’s ruling vindicated the objections of the former Leichhardt Council and Balmain Tigers’ supporters that the proposal would not guarantee a place for the Leagues Club at its spiritual home.

“With Rozelle Village now having had four proposals refused by the State Government and one by the Court they should have the decency to sell the site on to someone capable of getting an approval, so that the Tigers can return to Rozelle,” Mr Byrne said.

“Rozelle Village should look at the scoreboard and finally realise that their approach has been a losing one.”

The rejected redevelopment raised doubts about the amount of space set aside for the leagues club “to promote its long term viability”.

In 2015, Leichhardt Council approved a redevelopment which included six and eight-storey residential blocks and rent free space for the leagues club.

“Instead of getting on with this sensible development, Rozelle Village chose to instigate a Land and Environment Case for a 12-storey development with no guaranteed space for the Balmain Tigers,” Mr Byrne said.

“The only way for the development to proceed on the site is for Rozelle Village to give up on their grandiose plans and make use of the existing Council approval.”

Greens state MP for Balmain, and former Leichhardt councillor, Jamie Parker, said the judgement meant there would be no “skyscrapers” in Rozelle.

“It’s a huge win for the community and a vindication of our efforts for appropriate development,” Mr Parker said.

”It’s disappointing that the Balmain Leagues Club won’t be coming back here to this site because of the fact that we can’t seem to get the developer to put forward a good quality proposal.”