Leagues club future hazy
KRISTEN TSIAMIS
After 11 long years, the Land and Environment Court’s decision on Thursday 29th September to knock back an appeal of a development proposal on the derelict site of the Wests Tigers Leagues Club has been met with mixed reactions.
Commissioner Annelise Tuor presided over the case and rejected the proposal in a written judgement on the basis of the design of the development.
“I accept the council’s position. The design of the development is focused on facilitating access for both pedestrians and cars to the supermarket and is likely to function as a stand-alone centre that can operate independently of the existing centre. The main entries to the development are on Victoria Street and Waterloo Street where the western courtyard, through site link and Victoria Road entry provide direct and easy access to the supermarket that bypasses the Plaza. This is contrary to the intent of the DCP, where the Plaza is a connecting element between the development and the existing streets.”
The application itself was listed as a “mixed use development including retail, commercial, club and residential.” The proposal also addresses a “local environment plan, urban design, amenity, integration and transition with existing development and street activation” amongst others, contributing to “long term viability of club use.”
Chris Johnson, the CEO of Urban Taskforce, a property development industry group, said that his interpretation of the ruling was that “the scheme complied with planning rules, and the decision made said that the proposal was okay in terms of height and bulk.”
“It seems to me that the areas of concern were to do with traffic congestion, street edge activation and the way that people move through the building. It’s a strange decision not to approve the project, I would have thought these issues could have been easily resolved.”
Mr Johnson also said that the proposal being refused was yet another blow to a site that has already been sitting idle thanks to what he perceives as a convoluted planning system.
“It’s a big set back, here’s a scheme that is 8 storeys and 12 storeys which isn’t too high for a site like that, a transport hub in the city centre.”
“[This is] just another case study of a project that seemed to fit the rules, it wasn’t too high and of appropriate bulk, being unable to get through the planning system.”
The applicant of the appeal, Urbis Pty Ltd, was appealing against the deemed refusal of a development application, made on the behalf of Rozelle Village Pty Ltd, the site owners.
Interim Inner-West Council General Manager Rik Hart said that the outcome was ideal for the community, as Council had been fighting for the interests of the people and club.
“Council’s top priority was always the return of the Balmain Leagues Club to Rozelle,” he said. “A new home for the Club was one of the cornerstones of the rezoning of the site, first approved in 2008. Council fought for the Tigers to be offered a home at an affordable rent, however the developer insisted on holding them to a commercial lease with a lower floor space than was permitted by the planning controls.”
Many saw the proposal of the two buildings, one eight storeys the other twelve, as being an imposition on the streetscape of the local area.
Local Greens Member, Jamie Parker is one such person. He said that the decision is positive for the community, fighting overdevelopment, and a win for the Rozelle community.
“I have been fighting over-development of the site for more than a decade and this refusal is such a win for the Rozelle community. I am committed to working with the community to ensure only appropriate development is approved.”
Mr Johnson said that his prediction for the future position of the club is ambiguous.
“It’s hard to find in inner-city areas a large site; It’s a large site that can contribute the proper massing and shape to get a reasonable development to occur. It seems it will be difficult to create a new development.”
Both The Wests Tigers and Urbis have been contacted for comment, but at the time of publication had not responded.
