Parc Pavilion Cronulla pub plan: Planning panel decides fate of venue next to Monro Park

Dozens of people objected to a proposed pub and bistro catering for 850 people in Cronulla. A planning panel has handed down its ruling after concerns were raised. Find out the result.

A planning panel has approved a proposal for an 850-patron pub in the heart of Cronulla despite dozens of people objecting over concerns surrounding parking, traffic and anti-social behaviour.

On Tuesday last week the Sutherland Shire Local Planning Panel heard numerous submissions from residents and business owners - including high profile bar tzar Craig Laundy - about the plan for Parc Pavilion, located on Cronulla St, overlooking the popular Monro Park.

The application for a pub, bistro and cafe, along with seating and a gaming room, was referred to the panel because the proposal received 88 objections.

On Monday, the panel published its decision to approve the application, subject to conditions.

Sutherland Shire Local Planning Panel heard numerous submissions from residents and other business owners about the proposed Parc Pavilion located on Cronulla Street. Picture: Innovate/Rockhunter

It said the plan was permissible under commercial zoning and was aligned with the council’s Cronulla Centre Strategy, highlighting its proximity to rail, and other modes of public transport.

The panel suggested additional conditions including a traffic warden for busy periods and residential noise monitoring.

In its written findings the panel said it was “satisfied” it was now “well considered to mitigate potential impacts” to neighbours.

A proposal was approved in December 2021 by the Sydney South Planning Panel, allowing construction of a seven-storey commercial building with a two level basement, commercial tenancies on level two and co-work office spaces on levels three to six.

The application was altered to allow use of the ground and level one and basement one as a pub, with a capacity of 865 patrons.

Feros Group will operate the pub, adding to its large profile of other licenced venues in the Sutherland Shire including Highfields, Huxley’s Bar and Ugly Pizza at Caringbah; The Prince in Kirrawee, and Taren Point Hotel at Taren Point.

The main concerns from objectors, who mainly lived near the site, were fears of anti-social behaviour, insufficient parking, noise, traffic congestion and overlooking onto users of Monro Park, a council report to the panel said.

Objectors were also concerned about the development being incompatible use, littering, lack of smoking facilities, impact on heritage value of Monro Park, too many licenced venues in the area and the hours of operation.

The potential outside of the proposed development overlooking Monro Park. Picture: Parc Pavilion website, Feros Group

Several people spoke at the panel meeting last Tuesday, including Craig Laundy, who owns multiple licenced venues, including Northies.

“To have 17 car parks is a crazy precedent. There will be 60 to 80 staff working in the venue on Friday, Saturdays and Sunday,” he said.

Mr Laundy said patrons would also need to find somewhere to park and he was concerned traffic would bank up down Cronulla St to Northies.

“This is a really dangerous precedent...this is really messed up,” he said.

Local business owner Sarah Ford said she welcomed the development of the site but was also concerned about parking and traffic flow implications.

“The area is a well-known local bottleneck and is one of only two access points to the Cronulla peninsula,” she said.

Ms Ford said the applicant had not addressed the parking concerns and noted existing issues would be exacerbated by the current proposal.

She noted resident parking spilled onto local streets, council parking was used by cinema and mall users and beach spots were hotly contested all day.

“Seventeen car spaces for 865 patrons is simply unacceptable. It will create long lasting issues for the community, local businesses, residents and visitors.”

She noted there were no car drop-off allowances for patrons or staff at the site, meaning the existing bottleneck would be increased.

Ms Ford was also concerned about the potential anti-social behaviour saying it had been undervalued in council and developer reports, which had not considered the impact of having a pub next to a park.

“It is a potentially deadly combination,” Ms Ford said before asking for the application to not be approved in its current form.

An artist impression of the seating area inside the licenced hotel. Picture: Parc Pavilion website, Feros Group

The panel noted the car parking provision was less than the requirements in the development control plans and recognised the car parking shortfall.

The panel put in place conditions for parking, including provision of a traffic warden on Friday and Saturday nights, and to assist patrons with transport options including the consideration of car share providers and a community bus.

The panel said the proposal was capable of operating within the acceptable noise criteria but due to the concerns raised by residents, further conditions were imposed including residential monitoring.

The panel also noted NSW Police did not object to the proposal, once amendments were made including the operator committing to appropriate processes and procedures to manage the anti-social behaviour should it occur.

The proposal’s applicant, managing director of Design Collaborative, James Lidis – who runs a firm that handles planning proposals for liquor licences in hotels throughout Sydney - spoke at the meeting on behalf of the developer.

“I note the council report came to the same conclusion as we did, which is that licence premises do not encourage people to be driving in the first place,” Mr Lidis said.

He said the hotel was in the town centre, close to a railway station, and there were sufficient public car parking facilities that the council had invested in for people to use.

“It is difficult to understand how people can be arguing these sorts of things when people who are accessing licensed premises...do not drive,” Mr Lidis said. ”They are either local people or are catching Ubers or taxis and there is a railway station.”

Mr Lidis also noted the NSW Police endorsed the development because of the plan and conditions proposed by management to deal with any potential anti-social behaviour, adding there would be significant security in place to ensure the community‘s safety.

The development in a snapshot:

Under the proposal, the basement level will be used for parking and storage, but will include only 17 parking spaces for staff and not patrons.

On the ground floor there will be a bar, cafe with outdoor dining area, bar and food take away service area, a gaming room with separate bar, bathrooms and access of Beach Park Avenue.

Level one will have a bistro, outdoor terrace dining area, another restaurant and private dining rooms.

There also will be a bar area, glazed windows, bathrooms, back of house provisions and a smokers terrace.

The hours of operation will be from Monday to Sunday 7am to midnight with a maximum of 30 staff per day.

There will be no live music or take away liquor sales.

The existingsite has a collection of single-storey retail buildings consisting of a row of eight shops providing restaurants, cafes, florist, convenience store, and charity store.