Trouble in paradise as ‘car wash king’ submits $11.5m Point Piper plans
Car wash king Anthony Sahade looks set to reignite tensions with his Point Piper neighbours after submitting $11.5 million plans for his harbourside mansion.
Car wash king Anthony Sahade looks set to reignite tensions with his Point Piper neighbours after submitting $11.5 million plans for his harbourside mansion.
Mr Sahade, who owns the Crystal Car Wash chain, wants to build a three-storey block between his Wolseley Rd mansion and the harbourside.
The block, which will feature five bedrooms, two pools, a rooftop garden and boatshed, will have picture postcard views looking out towards the Harbour Bridge.
He also wants to knock down part of the historic 1920s mansion on the site to provide space for three units.
Mr Sahade has had a turbulent history with some of his multi-millionaire neighbours, who include former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, ‘Aussie’ John Symonds and Westfield billionaire Frank Lowy.
Troubles flared soon after Mr Sahade bought the home in 2006 for $11 million.
It has been reported that an elderly neighbour took out an AVO after he allegedly pushed her into a swimming pool.
There were further complaints when he dumped 50 tonnes of sand to make a beach in front of the home.
In 2007, he had a charge dismissed after he was accused of throwing rocks at an arborist who was chopping down a neighbour’s tree.
In 2012 he was ordered to remove a timber stairway he had installed without permission having been taken to the Land and Environment Court by Woollahra Council.
Two months later, as the stairway was being removed, a fight broke out. Neighbour Eckart Bischoff was left with a bleeding nose and cuts to his arms and face. A magistrate later dismissed charges against Mr Sahade.
In 2014 he was back in hot water, this time appearing at a NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
He was ordered to stop shining spotlights into neighbours’ homes, parking on common property and pruning or damaging vegetation on common property.
Mr Sahade and his son Victor were also warned for acting in an “aggressive manner” towards neighbours.
While matters appear to have died down in recent years, this application could see tensions boil over once more.
At present the plot features a part two-storey, part-three storey home built in the 1920s.
The waterfront mansion is split into two units and has a swimming pool. There is also a large garage with a studio above it and a separate unit at the rear.
The development application would see part of the main building, the garage and the unit to the rear demolished.
Major works are proposed to the main building which will then be split into three units.
Unit one will have three-bedrooms while units two and three will both have five bedrooms.
There will also be a new three-storey car park with space for 18 cars.
Between the existing building and the waterfront will be a new three-storey development with five bedrooms. The mega mansion will feature two pools (one indoor and one outdoor) a gym, sauna, a rooftop garden, private jetty and boat shed.
The plans are likely to concern his neighbours, not least due to the added height and potential loss of views.
The maximum height for homes in the area is 9.5 metres but Mr Sahade’s proposal reaches 10.54 metres.
GSA Planning, on behalf of Mr Sahade, claims the noncompliance is only minor and should be overlooked.
His neighbours may not agree, especially given the potential loss of views.
The developer claims it will not have “any additional impact” on views but concede “we have not had the opportunity to inspect the adjoining properties,” adding “our assessment is based on our inspection of the subject site, survey information and aerial photography.”
There is also likely to be heritage concerns, given plans for the demolition of much of the 1920s waterfront home.
In particular it is deemed significant given that celebrated Australian architect Glenn Murcutt redesigned the property in the latter half of the 20th century.
There may also be concerns about the increased number of people living on the plot. Developers argue there is more than adequate parking and any increase in traffic would be minimal.
Concluding the application, the developer states: “The proposal’s dynamic contemporary design by prominent architectural firm, XPace Design Group, will reinvigorate the existing residential flat building and complements the scale of nearby development.
“The design has carefully considered neighbour amenity in terms of privacy, overlooking, outlook and solar access. From the harbour, the proposal will enhance the existing foreshore, through modern styling and iconic architecture.”
The plans were submitted to Woollahra Council on November 16. No date has been set for a planning decision.
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