District Park plans halted after developer Arena REIT walks away from negotiations
DEVELOPERS who were negotiating a take over of the district park precinct have ended negotiations with Northern Beaches Council due to ‘commercial reasons’.
Manly
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DEVELOPERS have walked away from negotiations with Northern Beaches Council for a take over of the District Park precinct due to “commercial reasons”.
The breakdown between the council an Arena REIT leaves the 62ha site’s future in limbo.
The area, in Manly Vale, includes Warringah golf course, the former North Manly Bowling Club, among other sports including futsal and rugby league.
The selection of Arena as preferred tenderer ahead of Warringah Golf Club or Manly Leagues Club led to the closure of North Manly Bowling Club.
The bowls club was operated by Manly Leagues, which abandoned the site when it was not successful in obtaining the tender to run district park.
The council will now seek to develop a new concept for an enhanced multi-sports facility at the District Park that will provide greater community benefit including additional facilities such as more indoor sport courts and community space.
In a statement the council cited “commercial reasons” for the withdrawal of the ASX 300 listed Arena.
Mayor Michael Regan said there were many assets across the peninsula that were in
desperate need of upgrades.
Arena proposed innovative use of the spaces with upgrades for all existing sport users, including 18-hole golf, enhanced additional facilities like as a cafe, mini golf, allied health centre and over 300 car spaces.
The tender also included a proposal for state-of-the-art technology such as indoor golf simulators.
The model to partner with Arena was one way council could have secured significant investment to deliver a high quality community sports facility.
The council’s motion to enter negotiations with Arena said if that failed it would enter into negotiations with the second preferred tenderer a consortium headed up by Warringah Golf Club, Tennis NSW and Next Generation gyms.
However, that motion was rescinded at the September 4 meeting, and the council resolved to negotiate with only the top ranked tenderer, and no one else.
Cr Regan said the council would take the lead and investigate funding the enhancements at District Park to bring it up to the standard the community expects.
“This is the chance to enter into a new phase of planning with the community to build on the
potential of what has already been proposed and add even more value for the community,” he
said.
“We are looking forward to working with the Warringah Golf Club and entering into a new dialogue to secure the long term future of the 18-hole golf course to ensure the course is upgraded for the benefit of its members.”
“We’ve all wanted the same thing all along – a multi-sports facility for the whole community that is expertly run and enjoyed by a range of sports users.”
“We are listening to the community and want a strong partnership to deliver this great community asset so we’ll be proposing to establish a Community and Council Advisory Group as part of a broad community engagement program.”
The options for the upgraded facility will be tabled in a report due to come to Council in early 2019.