Sydney developer Sammut Group has been given the go ahead for a transformational $350-million mixed-use urban renewal project in its southern beaches stomping ground of Cronulla.
The nod from the Sydney South Planning Panel paves the way for the redevelopment of an entire block to create a new northern gateway for the Cronulla Plaza outdoor retail strip.
Spanning 5225sq m amalgamated site at 3-23 Kingsway, the joint venture with Alceon Group has been designed to revitalise the main entry to Cronulla beach between Croydon Street and Abel Place.
To be known as Vue, it is the first urban renewal approval for the area since the landmark Northies Hotel site was redeveloped in 1999.
Sammut Group's development—with a gross floor area of 15,670sq m—will comprise 112 apartments across two eight-level buildings that also include about 3070sq m of retail and 885sq m of commercial space.
It will be anchored by gourmet grocer Harris Farm Markets and be its flagship and biggest store in Sydney.
The apartments—more than half of which are three-bedroom—will sit above a four-level basement and two-storey podium. Between the two PBD Architects-designed buildings will be a large resort-style communal terrace with a pavilion and swimming pool.
Vue's approval follows Sammut Group's nearby Parc project, a six-level co-working space and hospitality venue, recently being given the green light. It will be owned and operated in partnership with Feros Group.
“After a very tough few years for the local traders and retailers in the centre of Cronulla, we hope they will see this as the start of a great new time of growth and renewal," Sammut Group chief executive Allen Sammut said.
"We’re extremely excited to bring a whole new life to our CBD."
Chief operating officer Julian Sammut said Vue was a "gateway development" for the area that would provide much-needed amenities to the local community.
The green light was given to the project after Sammut Group submitted a revised scheme in response to recommendations from the Sutherland Shire Council relating to various aspects of its plans.
Among the changes were increased setbacks, revised apartment layouts and internal building separation as well as removal of private spa pools planned for level 8.
At the time of submitting the development application in June last year, Allen Sammut told The Urban Developer it had taken him more than a year to pull off the complex site aggregation that involved 24 stakeholders across nine properties, costing more than $100 million.
“The vision has been in my mind for a long time now," he said. “The main driving force was to put a full-line supermarket in Cronulla, which is something Cronulla doesn’t have and has been desperately in need of.”
The proposed development supersedes plans for a 21-storey boutique hotel that were mooted for the site in 2018.
It is one of four projects to date that Sammut Group has undertaken with capital partner Alceon Group—with three projects now in Cronulla and another on the Gold Coast.
Apartments in its $200-million absolute beachfront glitter strip development, Coast, on Garfield Terrace at Surfers Paradise sold for an average price of $5.25 million.
Earlier this year, the developer also lodged plans for a $100-million beachfront apartment block in Cronulla after picking up a 1300sq m site at 67 Gerrale Street in a $38-million amalgamation involving 18 separate owners.
It is earmarked for 24 two and three-bedroom apartments across nine storeys with ground floor retail and hospitality amenities.
