Neutral Bay: Arkadia, shop owners push back over plans to remove public town centre carparks

Business owners are taking matters into their own hands in a bid to thwart the contentious removal of dozens of public car park spaces in a Sydney town centre.

More than 80 carparks are proposed to be removed in the town centre.

North Shore business owners are taking matters into their own hands in a bid to thwart the contentious removal of dozens of public car parks at Neutral Bay.

North Sydney Council has been urged by shop owners in the town centre to rethink a proposal by retail giant Coles to redevelop the Grosvenor Lane car park to make way for a new public plaza.

Concerns by business owners include the impact on their trade due to the loss of customer parking spaces and access for delivery vehicles.

The proposal is part of broader plans by Coles – which owns the Woolworths outlet adjacent to carpark – to redevelop the existing Woolworths supermarket site into multi storey retail and unit complex.

Earlier this year, North Sydney Council – which owns the land the car park is located on – granted Coles consent to lodge a development application to redevelop the site into a plaza.

A photo of business owners impacted by the proposed carpark removal.

Now, a major town centre landholder has released an alternative proposal – supported by local shop owners – that would retain 39 carparks at the site.

The proposal by property company Arkadia, which owns sites in the town centre including Theo’s Arcade between Grosvenor Lane and Military Rd, would also have landscaping works, footpaths and vehicular access to service lanes. Under the proposal, a total of 48 carparks would be removed. 

A concept photo of the proposal by Arkadia.

A concept photo of the Coles proposal.

Arkadia chief executive Ric O’Connell said the concept – which Arkadia has pledged to fully fund – would allow businesses to continue trading particularly during periods of potential disruption caused by construction works should the Woolworths redevelopment go ahead.

“There’s a case for council to play a role in arbitrating an outcome that’s good for all of Neutral Bay and at the moment we haven't seen that happen,” he said.

“We’re not trying to stop Coles, we’re trying to shape Coles to ensure the survival of the retailers.”

Arkadia is expected to hold a briefing session with local councillors to present details of the proposal.

North Sydney Council has stressed the decision to grant Coles consent to lodge its application did not mean the council supports the proposal, but rather allows the proposal to be submitted.

Dimitri Janakis – owners of the suburb’s long-running Blue and White Dry Cleaners outlet – previously told this publication the loss of the carpark could be “devastating” for his business.

“We’re probably one of the longest standing businesses in Neutral Bay and we’ve been on the site for just under 55 years,” he said.

“With the potential for 2-3 years of excavation works (at the carpark site during the development) we have no doubt it will be devastating for all the businesses who rely on it.”