Willoughby RSL development to make way for new club, units, shops, aged care home

After years of planning a decision has finally been made on the construction of a huge RSL club on Sydney's north shore.

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UPDATE

One of the north shore's largest RSL clubs is about to get even bigger with plans approved for a major redevelopment of Club Willoughby.

The Sydney North Planning Panel has given the green light to the $95 million redevelopment of the venue after hearing from local residents and club officials who had their final say on the plans at a public meeting earlier this month.

The redevelopment includes bulldozing the existing RSL venue to make way for a new three storey club featuring gaming areas, a sports room, restaurants and a dance floor, along with 125 seniors units and a 72-bed aged care facility in buildings up to five storeys tall

.Club director Jack Seatter told the meeting the redevelopment would address the ageing state of the existing club and ensure the venue’s long-term financial viability.

“I understand people are against change, but change is inevitable,” he said.“Reality tells us we really need a renewed club – the alternative is it would be sold off to a developer and that wouldn’t be good for any of us.”

A concept plan of the new club, viewed from Penshurst St.

The meeting also heard multiple objections from residents over impacts including the design elements of the building, stormwater run-off, construction noise, and the bulk of the building which one resident described as a “concrete jungle”.

Local homeowner Claire Wootton objected to the 20m tall exterior walls of the building overshadowing homes in the adjacent Horsley Ave Heritage Conservation Area.Fiona Nash, who lives in a unit complex next to the site, said public access areas within the development could also lead to “loitering” near the windows of surrounding homes.

“(We) would live in fear of anti-social activity from this shiny new club,” she said.The Planning Panel in its decision noted there had been strong community interest in the redevelopment that was subject to two public meetings, and generated more than 150 written submissions that outlined concerns ranging from traffic impacts to breaches of the local height limit.

The panel said there was sufficient planning grounds to "justify contravening" compliance with floor space ratio standards and height limits in some sections of the site.

It found the development was "in the public interest" and would provide housing for senior residents near local shops and amenities.As part of the approval, the panel issued Club Willoughby a list of conditions it must adhere to including setting up a community liaison committee to engage with residents before, during and after the development.

The club's war memorial will also have to be "appropriately relocated" during the life of the project and all next of kin of those inferred within the memorial will have to be given 90 days notice before it is relocated from its current site.There were also conditions to limit privacy impacts on nearby homes including adding mechanical gates in external areas and glazing on windows in sections of the building that overlook surrounding homes.

The club, which has partnered with Hyecorp to develop the complex, said construction is expected to take three years to complete.

The club would also be closed during development – allowing the entire site to be built in one stage as opposed to staged construction works – which the club said would reduce impacts on surrounding residents to the “shortest possible time”.

A total of 406 basement car parking spots will be built at the site as part of the project.

EARLIER

By David Barwell on  October 9, 2019

RSL’s $95m redevelopment revealed

A major redevelopment of Club Willoughby has moved closer to reality with the project set to include more than 100 new units, shops and an aged care home.

New plans for the $95 million development show the existing club would be demolished to make way for a new RSL club, 106 seniors living units, 24 other apartments and a 49-bed residential aged care facility.

The proposal also outlines the construction of a public park and 441 carparks across three basement levels.

Plans show the development would be split across five buildings at 26 Crabbes Ave and 247-255 Penshurst St with a park providing a walkway linking Crabbes Ave and Legion Way.

A new three storey RSL club would include gaming areas, lounges, a sport room, restaurants, dance floor, outdoor terraces and a sub-branch room.

Three buildings containing “serviced self-care” units for seniors would stand up to six storeys — the tallest part of the development.

A four storey residential flat building would have 24 units, while the aged care facility would stand three storeys tall to the south of the site.

 

A concept plan of the eastern section of the development.

 

The club said the project was needed in order to remain operational as it was no longer “financially viable” as a bowling club.

The club’s cash woes outlined in its latest financial report included a net loss of $32,966 in 2017/18 and a five per cent decline in bar sales.

Poker machine revenue also dropped 14 per cent to $563,683 on the previous year in what the club credited to changed “societal attitudes”, the advent of online gaming apps and “adverse publicity about gaming”.

“While our alliance with the North Shore Bridge Club has bolstered membership, the club continues to struggle financially and has not been able to raise sufficient funds to address the under-utilised and no longer fit for purpose assets,” the club said.

“The club board did not want to relocate off the site and felt that the best outcome for both the club and the community would be to secure a development partner.

A view of the redevelopment, as seen from Crabbes Ave.

“This was seen as preferable to selling the site to a third party interest for a speculative development”.

Consultation since early plans were released shows feedback included concerns over traffic congestion, parking, overshadowing and the impacts on public transport.

Long-term resident Olivia Mc Goldrick, whose home backs on to the site, said new plans had “significantly changed” from early proposals circulated among residents in 2017.

“Most of us were happy with the original plan that had two and three storey apartments and a five store aged care facility - now we have mostly five and six storey blocks,” she said.

“The site is surrounded by a heritage conservation area and these huge blocks are going to spoil the landscape.

The development would have a maximum height of 20.5m.

“What they’ve proposed is very different to what’s now been submitted.”

A traffic report commissioned by the club stated a majority of cars would access the site via Crabbes St and that the existing road network “could accommodate additional traffic”.

Plans state seniors housing was not allowed in the RE2 zoning of the site, however had been granted an exemption by the Department of Planning under legislation aimed at increasing seniors housing across NSW.

The club said the redevelopment was in line with State Government housing targets to accommodate 13,200 new residents in the Willoughby Council region by 2036.

“The facilities were built a half-century ago and the absence of any significant progressive upgrading has left the community with a club that is dated,” the club said.

“The proposal presents an opportunity to provide greater housing supply and diversity … and will contribute to supporting the needs of an ageing population.”

If approved, construction would begin in late-2020 and is expected to take three years to complete.

Club members have been told the development would be built in stages to ensure members “had access to a club at all times”.

The plans have been lodged to Willoughby Council and are expected to open for further consultation this year.

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