Robby Ingham defends Oxford St development plan

Former fashion designer Robby Ingham has defended his multimillion-dollar plan to redevelop shops on Oxford St in the face of resident opposition, saying it’s ‘sad’ and needs investment.

Robby Ingham in his Oxford street shopfront that he wants to develop into apartments and retail space. Picture: John Appleyard

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Former fashion designer Robby Ingham says he knows what is needed to “bring back” Paddington’s “sad” Oxford St shopping strip, as he awaits decision on a development application.

Mr Ingham had defended his $3.5 million plan to redevelop two vacant shopfronts and create an infill of retail and apartments, which have attracted unrest from some in the community.

Robby Ingham said people used the backyard of the proposed development site as a carpark. Picture: John Appleyard

Oxford St is where the 58-year-old spent decades establishing himself as a big player in his own right, regardless of his famous surname.

His self-titled store closed in 2016, one of many business which have fallen foul to the decline of the once glittering strip situated almost exactly between Bondi and the CBD.

Mr Ingham said he would spend $10 million “breathing new life” into 432 and 434 Oxford St, Paddington, would encourage new retailers to come in and provide what he says would be modestly priced apartments above.

The shops have been left vacant. Picture: John Appleyard

“I’ve worked on Oxford St for 35 years. I’ve seen it go from frankly a street with not much interest, to one of the busiest shopping strips in the world, and now I’ve seen it deteriorate,” he said.

“It really needs investment, and the only way is to let people come in and modernise the interior of the venues.

“Oxford St is very sad. It’s a shame it’s gotten that way.”

Mr Ingham said the street had struggled to attract new tenants due to the number of “derelict” old buildings that offered them “no incentive”.

An artists impression of the proposed apartments as viewed from Elizabeth Pl. Picture: John Appleyard

That has caused rental prices to plummet, he said.

“When I closed my store in 2016 I was paying $350,000 in rent per year. It’s just been rented out for $100,000,” Mr Ingham said.

“I look at Paddington now and think, ‘It’s wrong for Paddington to look like this’.

“I’m not trying to put up a five storey or 10 storey apartment block. I’m not trying to do anything ludicrous. (The development) will allow me to fix up the original buildings on Oxford St.”

The heritage facade of the Oxford St shops would be maintained. Picture: John Appleyard

Mr Ingham’s application seeks approval to alter the interior of two terrace shops fronting Oxford St and add an infill of a three-storey mixed-use building comprising nine apartments, ground floor retail, a courtyard and underground carpark with a car stacker and turn table.

But there are concerns coming from residents in adjacent Elizabeth Pl — a narrow, dead-end street that would be used as an entry point to the site’s garage — who fear a potential influx of excavation machinery once construction starts and added cars when people move in.

James Daley said the scale of the development, which will span across two lots and include stretch to the edge of homes in the street behind, is “out of character” with the area.

Robby Ingham at the rear area of his Oxford St shop fronts. Picture: John Appleyard

But Mr Ingham said he had “all rights” to extend his property to the boundary of Elizabeth Pl, and argued that the rear of the vacant shops were “literally used as a carpark”.

“I’ve always argued that there would be no change to traffic on the street. You’re not going to get anymore cars because they’re already there,” he said.

Mr Ingham said the development would include a plaza lined with businesses where people could come to enjoy a coffee or a meal, and the apartments would be sold for “much lower” than the going rate in Paddington.

The application is set to go before the Woollahra Local Planning Panel on April 4.

Mr Ingham is anxious to have the issue settled but said he would “never try to predict the outcome of a DA”.

“I’m finding it very difficult to find out how to make the residents happy,” he said.

“I’ve done everything I can to appease the neighbours, I’ve worked with the council to make it a financially viable development.

“I spent most of my working life in Paddington and I want to see it come back.”

Mr Ingham owns several other properties along Oxford St.

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