Wollongong’s City Diggers to Make Way for Hotel, Offices

A proposal to demolish an RSL club in Wollongong to make way for offices and a five-star hotel has opened for comment.

The plans now on exhibition propose a motel, hotel and office development, to be called The Globe.

The scheme, put forward by a consortium of developers and investors, proposes the demolition of the city RSL club, City Diggers, in the main retail mall of the Wollongong CBD.

A mixed-use, three-tower precinct would rise in its place under the concept masterplan by ADM Architects and Jackson Teece.

The cost of works on the site at 163-171 Crown and 80-82 Church streets has been estimated at $229 million.

The development comprises an eight-storey office block, and a new City Diggers club and 114-key motel, at the corner of Burelli and Church streets, of six storeys.

A third building would house a five-star, 15-storey hotel with 236 rooms, and a rooftop bar and swimming pool among other amenities. 

All of the buildings would have ground-floor retail and hospitality above a six-level interconnected basement across the site offering 567 car spaces. A hotel lobby and drop-off area is also included.

The site area is 4799sq m, but the developer intends to acquire adjacent public land to take that to 5404.6 square metres. 

▲ A render of The Globe. Plans are on display until November 12.

The applicant is listed as 171 Crown Pty Ltd, the sole director of which is listed as Daniel Ashbolt.

According to the project’s website, the consortium behind the proposals includes hotel developer Cre8tive Hotels & Lifestyle and the former full owners of Diggers, the Wollongong Golf Club.

Development interest in Wollongong has ramped up during the past year.

Urban Property Group this year filed plans for four nine-storey mixed-use buildings at the site of a former gasworks near the city centre, while a 14-storey shoptop tower is proposed for a site opposite the WIN Stadium and Entertainment Centre in Wollongong on the Chicko’s Chicken site.