Coogee Bay Hotel development: Labor MP Marjorie O’Neill launches Save Coogee Village petition

The iconic Coogee Bay Hotel is set for a mega $111 million revamp featuring an ‘eat street’ and apartments. However, a petition has been launched to “Save Coogee” from the “atrocity”.

More than 300 people have signed a petition against a mega $111 million revamp of the iconic Coogee Bay Hotel arguing it is an “atrocious overdevelopment” of the coastal suburb.

Plans have been lodged to transform the hotel into a six-storey shop-top development featuring 60 apartments, an eat street and supermarket at the 8501sq m site.

The apartments would surround an outdoor pool as well as a dining precinct, retail outlets and supermarket.

Plans have been lodged to transform the Coogee Bay Hotel into a shop-top development featuring 60 apartments, an eat street and supermarket at the 8501 sqm site. Picture: Urbis

The current beer garden and bar areas would not be refurbished under the plans.

The developers have proposed the hotel to stand 23m high, despite an existing 12m height limit at the site.

Coogee MP Marjorie O’Neill has led calls against the $111 million proposal, describing it as an “atrocious overdevelopment”.

It will include five-storey apartments surrounding an outdoor pool as well as a dining precinct, retail outlets and supermarket. Picture: Urbis

She has since started a petition titled Save Coogee Village which has attracted 302 signatures to date.

“The Coogee Bay Hotel proposal is unsuitable for our beautiful seaside Coogee Beach,” the petition states.

“The beauty, character and even sunlight of our iconic Coogee Beach is again under significant threat of overdevelopment.”

The Coogee Bay Hotel.

Ms O’Neill was particularly concerned about the increased height blocking sunlight in the surrounding coastal area.

“It would destroy the wonderful natural amphitheatre that the geography of Coogee naturally provides and privatise the air space and sunlight above Coogee beach and surrounds (...)”

Almost 300 people have signed a petition against the hotel’s $111M plans

Planning documents state the proposed design respects the site’s heritage elements: “(the proposal would) upgrade an existing heritage institution by providing added opportunities and amenity for the community while enhancing the identity of Coogee Bay”.

Chris Cheung, the managing director of C!NC Hotels which operates Coogee Bay Hotel, has been approached for comment.

The 8501 sqm site at Coogee Beach