Council has given the go ahead to Club Sapphire for its estimated $22.68m plans to build 40 units contained in two blocks on land owned by the club on Merimbula's Main St.
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In speaking in support of the proposal at the public forum which was held online due to COVID restrictions, Club Sapphire's CEO Damien Foley said the traditional business model of clubs must change if they were to survive.
"This residential development is a critical component of Club Sapphires long term strategic objective of diversifying its revenue base and ultimately reducing it's reliance on gambling," Mr Foley said adding it was essential from both an economic and social perspective.
"The club's best opportunity to achieve this objective is through the activation and better utilisation of its significant land assets to ultimately create non-gambling related revenues," he told councillors.
The approval means the club can now have construction drawings made and then go out to tender for the project.
"Once we have up to date costings we will then seek membership approval," Mr Foley told ACM.
"Ideally we want to sell off the plan and we hope to be able to do that within six months," he added.
The club has a master plan of which this development is the first stage.
"Approximately 10,000 cubic metres of good quality fill will be excavated from this site prior to construction. This fill will be reused on adjacent club land to prepare it for future development," Mr Foley said.
"The funds raised from the sale of units will assist the club's ongoing viability as well as other stages of its master plan including its long term goal of creating high quality tourist accommodation on the clubhouse site.
"This residential development is consistent with council's vision for higher density living in the CBD and comes at a time when the creation of 40 new dwellings can only assist with the current chronic accommodation shortage in Merimbula and also increase supply to an overheated housing market," Mr Foley added.
"Our research identified a real lack of opportunity in Merimbula for locals to sell their family home and downsize to apartment living," Mr Foley said.
The bulk and scale of the development is broken up into two main buildings with a landscaped area at the centre. The development application proposes 40 units divided between the two blocks, one of which, facing Main St, would be of four storeys. There is lower level car parking proposed as well.
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Denise Dion
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
