Revised plans submitted for $111m Coogee Bay Hotel redevelopment

Revised plans by Fender Katsalidis for the $111 million redevelopment of the Coogee Bay Hotel have been submitted.

The original plans to demolish significant parts of the hotel and build a new six-storey apartment building were met with significant opposition from both Randwick City Council and local residents.

The applicant took the matter to the Land & Environment Court in November 2021, and since then, the case has been ongoing. However, on March 23, 2023, the LEC granted permission for the applicant to lodge amended plans.

Under the new proposal, several existing buildings and structures on site will be demolished. However, the hotel and most of the Coogee Bay Road facade and beer garden will remain. The internal areas of the hotel will also be reconfigured, and 16 new and 15 refurbished rooms will be added.

To the west of the site a four and five-storey shop top residential building will be constructed, comprising 58 apartments, with seven one-bedroom, 25 two-bedroom and 24 three-bedroom apartments, in addition to two four-bedroom penthouses.

A new three-storey southern hotel wing, south of the beer garden, will be constructed, including 15 new hotel rooms. The existing beer garden area will also be upgraded, with the construction of new dining pavilions.

Additionally, 11 new retail tenancies, including cafes, shops, and restaurants, will be created in a ground-floor eat street precinct and Coogee Bay Road. A new public laneway will also be established, running from Coogee Bay Road to Arden Street, creating a through link.

Two levels of car parking will service the development, one at ground level and one basement carpark level, with around 159 spaces planned. 

Currently, Randwick Council's external planning consultants are undertaking a detailed assessment of the amended plans, and community feedback will be carefully considered as part of the court proceedings.

Key amendments to the proposal:

• Building heights reduced from a maximum of 23.33m to 21.35m.
• Amendments to the building mass to retain view lines to key landforms including Wedding Cake Island, Dolphin Point and the northern headland of Coogee Beach.
• Reduction in basement excavation by two levels.
• Increased building setback to the southern boundary and accommodation of deep soil planting and additional communal open space.
• Removal of the ground level supermarket tenancy and provision of residential apartments to the street frontage of Vicar Street.
• Increased retention to four heritage building facades along Coogee Bay Road.
• Internal reconfiguration of pub building, hotel and all residential apartments.
• Inclusion of a three-storey building to the southern side of the beer garden. Provision of the car park entry from Arden Street only and removing the car park entrance from Vicar Street.
• Changes to the colour and materials used on the retail tenancies fronting Coogee Bay Road to respond to the character of this streetscape.