But seven storey tower knocked back
A new Coles in Neutral Bay which will have 42 apartments above it has been approved by the Sydney North Planning Panel (SNPP).
To be located on the site of the old Woolworths at 41 to 53 Grosvenor Street, the shop-top four-storey tower will be part of a broader redevelopment of the site, which if approved will have a public plaza and 250 underground public parking spaces.
The approved development application (DA) includes a four-storey mixed-use shop top building with 42 apartments, swimming pool, liquor store and retail premises, and four levels of basement parking including 189 retail parking spaces, 77 public parking spaces and 39 residential parking spaces.
Coles’ original DA for the site, which included a seven-storey building with 72 apartments, was knocked back, but it’s still on the cards as Coles has proposed amending the North Sydney Local Environment Plan (LEP) to increase maximum height for the site from 16 to 32 metres, and increase the number of apartments to 81. Coles says this is the only way to make the development economical, as it would enable the supermarket giant to put the Grosvenor Lane car park underground and construct a plaza – at no cost to council.
Coles said this was just the first step in the planning approval process for the development.
“We’re thrilled to have received unanimous support from the SNPP for our revised development application,” a Coles spokesperson told NL.
“This is a positive step forward for the development, and we are excited to keep this momentum going with council as they assess our planning proposal which would allow for a taller development – with the additional residential dwellings supporting our offer to fund the underground council parking and a public plaza.”
Meredith Trevallyn-Jones is chair of Willoughby Bay Precinct and spoke at the SNPP meeting in favour of the development, as did other precinct members. “Coles has always been quite transparent that this is step one,” Ms Trevallyn-Jones told NL.
“Coles were clear that the proposed plaza design would be what council wanted and the land would remain in public hands,” she added.
The development would be carried out in stages with ‘as little disruption as possible’ to local retailers and residents.
Coles opened a temporary store on the site in April to replace the Woolworths.