The Village Inn, Paddington: Legal challenge lodged with Land and Environment Court for pub development

A legal challenge has been sent to the state’s land court to uphold plans to replace one of the oldest pubs in Sydney’s eastern suburbs with a high-end dress shop.

Save the Village Inn rally, held August 12, 2023.

A legal challenge has been launched by the owners of a beloved Paddington pub, which is set to be transformed into a high-end fashion boutique.

The appeal was lodged with the Land and Environment Court before a decision could be made by the Woollahra Local Planning Panel. Prior to court proceedings taking place, the Panel will still make a determination on the development application following the completion of Woollahra Council’s DA assessment process.

The proposal – to turn the almost 200-year-old pub into a retail space with offices above – has faced fierce opposition from eastern suburbs residents, who have described the drinking hole as a “cornerstone” of the community.

A Change.org petition to save the venue has now garnered more than 6000 signatures, and an August 12 ‘lock-in’ saw the pub flooded with patrons who recalled cherished memories formed over the years.

William Marshall, left, organised a rally to protest the pub’s looming closure. Pictured with Thomas Barnes, right. Picture: supplied.

Woollahra Councillor Harriet Price, centre, and Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, centre right, joined the rally to protest the DA.

Paddington resident William Marshall, who lives next to the Village Inn and organised the rally, previously said the looming loss of the pub was not just a matter of maintaining the heritage building, but preserving “the soul of our suburb”.

Mr Marshall said the appeal showed the building owner had “raised the white flag” and conceded defeat with their DA application at the local council level.

“Reading the writing on the wall [they have] elected to lodge an appeal with the Land and Environment Court,” he said.

“The residents of Paddington want to acknowledge all the efforts of local councillor Harriet Price and state politician Alex Greenwich who have tenaciously fought the application”.

Paddington resident Zara Bates, who lives around the corner from The Village Inn, said the pub was a “cornerstone” of the local community.

Architects drawings of the proposed Alemais boutique at the Village Inn site. Picture: Woollahra Council.

The $700k proposal was submitted by Bowie Ferris Investments Pty Ltd in July, outlining plans to adaptively repurpose the heritage-listed pub, which is located in the Paddington heritage conservation area.

Council documents state Bowie Ferris Investments had retained a pub operator at 61 per cent reduced rent after buying the property in June 2022.

A Woollahra Council spokesman confirmed that the applicant has lodged an appeal with the Land and Environment Court.