Neutral Bay: Woolworths takes bold step to have high rise supermarket, units approved

Woolworths has taken a bold step to have a major redevelopment of its Neutral Bay shopping complex approved, as residents fight to stop the high-rise complex being built in the suburb.

Retail giant Woolworths has taken a bold step to have a major redevelopment of its Neutral Bay shopping complex approved after local councillors refused to give it the green light.

Woolworths is pushing ahead with contentious plans to transform the Rangers Rd shopping centre into a eight storey shopping and residential hub which would become the town centre’s tallest retail building.

North Sydney councillors, at a meeting last week, unanimously voted against supporting the project due to the building’s height, bulk and potential traffic impacts on surrounding streets.

Five days after the vote, Woolworths lodged a rezoning review of the decision – meaning the Department of Planning will now lead the assessment process.

Early plans for the project show the existing Woolworths would be bulldozed to make for three new buildings incorporating a new supermarket, shops, and 91 units.

A concept plan of the development.

There would also be a pedestrian arcade, a public plaza with outdoor dining, children’s play areas, and basement parking with 350 spaces.

Plans by Fabcot – the development arm of Woolworths – state the project would revive the ageing supermarket and “support the growth of Neutral Bay as a local centre”.

The proposal includes a public plaza.

Residents opposed to the project argue the development would block sunlight from neighbouring homes and exacerbate traffic on already congested roads.

Aleksandra Serafimovska, who has lived opposite the site for almost 20 years, told last week’s council meeting homes to the south of the site on Yeo St would be “completely overshadowed by the development”.

Councillor Maryann Beregi described the project as an “absolute over development” of the site.

“I’m not convinced Woolworths has worked closely enough with the council to put this in. It’s a very constrained site, very close to residential homes and has minimal public benefit,” she said.

A concept image of the development.

The development would back on to homes on Yeo St.

Ethos Urban director Ben Craig – who has worked with Woolworths on the development – said the height of the development had been scaled back from 10 to eight storeys following early feedback from residents.

“That hasn’t been an easy decision, but Woolworths recognised it was the right decision in the interest of all the parties,” he said.

“The existing store is tired and dated and it’s time for it to be replaced with something more befitting for Neutral Bay.

“In an ideal world we would like to see something that complies with the (the local planning laws) which would give us a three to four storey building but the reality is a building of that scale wouldn’t be able to fund the community benefits.”

Woolworths lodged the rezoning review on Friday.

A Woolworths spokesman said the company was “disappointed” by the council’s decision to refuse the plans but believes the project would have benefits for the community.

“We believe we can continue to make a positive contribution to the Neutral Bay community,” he said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to engage with local stakeholders in relation to our proposal to inform our next steps.”

The rezoning review means the proposal will now be assessed by NSW Planning delegates before a gateway determination will be decided on. Further community consultation would be held as part of the process.

North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker said the rezoning review means the odds of having the development rejected were now “stacked against the community”.

“There’s a great deal of community concern and for good reason because it’s simply the wrong location for this scale of development,” she said.

“Council is not supportive and that’s the position that we’ll put on behalf of residents to the department.”

North Sydney Council’s planning panel has also opposed the development due to its “dominance of the public domain, overshadowing and traffic generation”.