The New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) has approved a rezoning proposal for The Cyprus Club at 58/76 Stanmore Road, Stanmore, with conditions.
In a statement to The Greek Herald, a spokesperson for the DPE said the approval was for a new mixed-use development in Stanmore.
“The rezoning permits the club to develop up to 120 residential townhouse and apartment dwellings, with 1,550 square metres of commercial and club floor space,” the spokesperson told The Greek Herald.
“Conditions of approval require the developer to widen Alma Avenue and provide public access to open space on the site.”
The rezoning will now be subject to a separate development application process with the local Inner West Council. This process will evaluate the detailed design of the site’s redevelopment, with further approvals needed before construction can occur.
Concerns remain:
This DPE approval comes after the Cyprus Community of NSW (CCNSW) submitted revised and updated plans to the NSW Government in late December 2022 after the Inner West Council recommended for refusal an earlier rezoning application.
The CCNSW had initially proposed to divide the site, which is bordered by Stanmore Road, Tupper Street and Alma Avenue in Stanmore, into four buildings (A, C, D and E), as well as construct an outdoor park space and communal open area for public use.
Under the proposal from developers Platino Properties, Building A at the front of the site would have been retained by the Community and utilised by The Cyprus Club. For Buildings C, D and E, Platino had proposed the construction of over 55’s residential apartments.
The Inner West Council rejected this rezoning proposal and cited public concerns related to traffic, built form and amenity impacts as the reasons behind their decision. They also requested the “preparation of site specific Development Control Plan (DCP) and Planning Agreement.”
Despite the latest approval by the DPE, some members of the CCNSW have raised concerns around how the Board “has still not negotiated” the VPA and DCP with the Inner West Council. These members also stressed that the hard work of past Boards in pushing the rezoning application has not been sufficiently recognised.
Future plans:
In a statement by the CCNSW, President Andrew Costa said “the rezoning of the inner-west site proved to be a difficult and elusive goal for many years despite the efforts of several Boards,” but the recent approval is “cause for great satisfaction and celebration.”
“The community now has in its hands an independently achieved rezoning approval. It belongs to the community and to no-one else,” Mr Costa added.
“It will be up to all of us to decide how it will serve our community’s present needs and interests, as well as leave a legacy for future generations of the Cypriot diaspora.”
According to The Greek Herald‘s sources, the Board plan on selling part of the inner-west land to lower their debt, which is in excess of $8 million, before proceeding with development.
The Board of the CCNSW will make the details of the rezoning decision known to its members over the coming weeks at information meetings. An informed community consultation process will follow to allow the community’s members to express their views on options for the future.
