Coogee Bay Hotel’s $111m Makeover Wins Approval

Landmark Sydney pub the Coogee Bay Hotel will undergo a multimillion-dollar makeover after amended plans were approved by the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel.

The approval follows 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, according to the owners.

The panel granted a deferred commencement consent, which will become operational once there has been resolution of a noise management plan with Randwick City Council.

The approval includes the demolition of buildings and works to the Coogee Bay Hotel itself, comprising refurbishment to provide for 18 hotel rooms, as well as a new three-storey building to the southern side of the beer garden with 13 new hotel rooms (resulting in a total of 31 hotel rooms).

Also in the Fender Katsalidis-designed plans is the construction of a 5-6 storey shoptop residential block of 58 homes, 11 retail premises, an internal laneway from Coogee Bay Road, basement parking for 158 cars, subdivision, landscaping and associated works.

In April, The Urban Developer reported the value of work at $111 million.

The plans, controversially, includes the demolition of the site of Selina’s, the beachside bar synonymous with Australian rock’n’roll in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.

▲ The Coogee Bay Hotel redevelopment plans have been on the go since 2019.

Coogee Bay Hotel managing director Chris Cheung said casting the 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”.

“This significant 8500sq m site in the heart of Coogee provides a gateway to the ocean front, and offers excellent access to services and public transport. 

“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.

“The proposal will enhance the heritage elements of the hotel building, upgrade its accommodation offering, create a wider range of entertainment, dining options and public meeting spaces, and create a more family-friendly environment.”

▲ The hotel is in the heart of Coogee Bay in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.

Plans to redevelop the 8500sq m site—which began life as a school before becoming a pub in 1873—were first lodged in July of 2021. They met stiff opposition from residents and the Randwick City Council who said it would “negatively impact Coogee’s village atmosphere”.

At 23m, the apartment block would have been almost twice the preferred height for the area.

Four months later, and with no decision by Randwick, the developers appealed the “deemed refusal of the application” with the NSW Land and Environment Court. Four conciliation hearings were held between May and early December last year.

Conciliation ended when the LEC ruled Cinc Hotels could lodge amended plans.