Iconic Coogee Bay Hotel set for stunning makeover after redevelopment plans approved

Sydney’s iconic Coogee Bay Hotel is set for a stunning contemporary makeover following the approval of its redevelopment plans by the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel last week.

The approval comes after more than four years of design and planning, discussions with stakeholders, community consultation, and mediation between the owners of the Coogee Bay Hotel and Randwick City Council.

The Panel granted a Deferred Commencement Consent, with the Development Consent to become operational once a noise management plan has been resolved with Randwick City Council.

In their determination, the Panel considered the major changes made by the applicant to their original development application lodged in July 2021, including improvements to bulk and scale, a reduction in height, removal of the proposed supermarket, and improvement of urban form and amenity. The Panel also noted that view loss was reduced by the amended plans.

Coogee Bay Hotel Managing Director Chris Cheung said he was happy to finally be moving forward and excited to deliver a renewed hotel that will reinvigorate the precinct.

“As members of the community for the past 30 years, we understand the local environment and believe our plans will better integrate the hotel within the community and reinvigorate the entire site,” Cheung said.

“Re-casting the Coogee Bay Hotel as a more family friendly place will improve social outcomes, add value to local business, boost the local economy and complement the character of the local area.”

The approved redevelopment includes the demolition of buildings, refurbishment of the Coogee Bay Hotel to provide 18 hotel rooms, construction of a new three-storey building with 13 new hotel rooms (resulting in a total of 31 rooms), construction of five/six storey shop top housing comprising 58 dwellings, 11 retail premises, an internal laneway from Coogee Bay Road, basement parking for 158 cars, subdivision, landscaping and associated works.

Discussions between the owners and Randwick City Council on the redevelopment proposal began in 2019, with the original Development Application lodged in July 2021 and an 18-month mediation process in the Land and Environment Court leading to the grant of the Development Consent.