Mosman Club says Woolies development is ‘dead and buried’
Mosman Club has hit out at Woolworths concept plans saying the development will not go ahead without its support.
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Mosman Club says the Woolworths development is “dead and buried” without its support.
Retail giant Woolworths bought a string of properties in Mosman beside the club and released its concept plans for the site this week.
The images have infuriated the club’s management.
“Our initial reaction was ‘What is this?’,” club CEO Gerard Boyle said.
“There is no way in the world we would ever take any concept plan that looks like that to our membership.”
The club’s management came across the images for the first time in the Mosman Daily and the concept drawings would see the club moved to a new premises with a rooftop overlooked by apartments. Mr Boyle said the club has sat on the fence and waited until Woolworths came to it with an idea or an offer, and as a result could not have a position.
“Now that we have seen these concept plans for the first time, we agree there is zero appetite within the board and management to explore a development such as this,” Mr Boyle said.
“As such, we can categorically state the club will not enter into any discussion with Woolworths regarding redevelopment of The Club. Without The Club’s support the development is dead and buried.
“We have stopped the Woolworths development.”
A sign now sits in the club’s reception area with a clear message to members: “The club’s property is NOT for sale!”
Cllr Roy Bendall is the club’s director and he was shocked by the publication of the concept images.
As a community leader he cannot support the development. He believes there is no appetite to increase the density of people in this area of Mosman or to allow increased traffic.
“After seeing the published concept plans I will be leading the charge against this development,” Cr Bendall said.
Cr Bendall said the club’s board and management would not support this development following the publication of the concept images. He pointed out that a rooftop bar with overlooking apartments would just create enemies for the club and become a “recipe for disaster”.
“Why would we do that? This is insanity and it doesn’t serve the club’s interests,” he said.
“They (Woolworths) should re-evaluate. We understand they are our neighbours but this sort of proposal will not fly with us.”
The club has not seen a formal proposal from Woolworths.
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