Aliro Group scraps plans to build world-class business park at old Toyota site in Caringbah

Multimillion-dollar plans have been scrapped to transform a south Sydney warehouse site into a world-class business park with accommodation, pub and function centre. Find out the latest.

An artist’s impression for the site’s former plans at the Toyota site, Woolooware Bay included a world-class business park with accommodation, pub and function centre but have now been scraped. Picture: Supplied

A multimillion-dollar proposal to transform the former Toyota site at Woolooware Bay into a world-class business park with accommodation, pub and function centre has been scrapped with the developer now revealing the latest plans.

Sutherland Council received an email from Aliro stating the intention to withdraw the planning proposal at 13 Endeavour Road, Caringbah and the accompanying offer to provide a park adjacent to Solander playing fields.

The council is expected to formally withdraw the proposal with the Department of Planning and Environment following a council meeting on Monday.

Aliro Group’s executive director and chief delivery officer Andrzej Masztak said since acquiring the site and through Covid, there “had been a significant shift in demand which has continued to drive the estate’s masterplan”.

“The lack of demand for office space which underpinned the original proposal for increased height limits, has resulted in a reset of the masterplan,” he said.

The former Toyota site at Woolooware Bay. Picture: Google Maps

“The process required ongoing modifications to the application which resulted in a protracted planning process and ultimately impacted on the ability to deliver the estate.”

Mr Masztak said the new vision would provide a ‘new generation and sustainable’ industrial estate, with flexible, modern and well-designed facilities in a campus style environment.

The site is currently used by businesses for warehouse operations. Picture: Google Maps

“Aliro still maintained a vision to deliver a world class environmentally sustainable estate focused on generating employment; providing community benefit; and meeting the demands of the Sutherland Shire business and community,” he said.

“Consistent with the zoning, the site will be activated with uses that include warehousing; small office/research and development facilities; childcare; amenity and other community and recreational uses.

“The buildings will vary in size, accommodating both commercial and a mix of industrial uses, and allow local businesses to connect and thrive within the shire and create an ongoing legacy and long-term employment opportunities.

“The plan for the site recognises the importance of supplying high quality product to meet the demand of local and national businesses, that want to be located in the shire and create higher skilled jobs for the residents of the shire.”

Aliro has stated their intention to withdraw the planning proposal at 13 Endeavour Road, Caringbah. Picture: Supplied

Mr Masztak said the site’s existing tenant base included a number of local businesses who benefited from the “high-quality warehousing space being delivered”.

Those existing tenants include Bowerbird Interiors whose business started in the shire 10 years ago and at one point moved out of the area because there were no local facilities suitable for them to continue operations. The business employs more than 55 people and will continue to create job opportunities for the community, Mr Masztak said.

He said Chopt Studios and Productions, another local business that employs 19 people, had started operations at the estate as an expanding business, which allowed the consolidation of facilities to a central Sutherland Shire location.

Incoming tenant, Carlile Swimming, a leading Sydney swim school, will provide quality swimming lessons for local young families within their new high-quality facility, Mr Masztak said.

The current Woolooware Bay site. Picture: Google Maps

“Aliro continues to engage with the council on the proposed masterplan and uses for the estate,” he said.

“Following ongoing consultation with the council and all relevant authorities, we are targeting to lodge the application in September 2023.”

In August 2021, the original proposal received gateway determination but lengthy negotiations about the voluntary planning agreement meant a new determination had to be issued which occurred in January.

The terms of the voluntary planning agreement were finalised in March.

A council report said council officers had been working with Aliro since the initial gateway determination was granted to come to mutual agreement on the terms of the planning agreement, which was based on the dedication of 9000sq m and its embellishment as a park and settled on the dedication of land adjacent to Solander play fields with basketball courts to a cost of $1.2m.