New DA for Bronte RSL ‘step in the right direction’

By Lydia Watson-Moore

The latest development application for the Bronte RSL site was lodged with Waverley Council last week, following lengthy anticipation from the community.

The proposal from developer Winston Langley Burlington (WLB) seeks to demolish the current Bronte RSL building on the Macpherson St site, and build four storeys of retail and residential space.

The site plan, lodged on June 24, presents four retail spaces and 21 residential apartments .

The proposal does not provide space for an RSL club, but the application allocates one of the retail tenancies to the Bronte RSL sub-branch.

This proposal comes after the fierce controversy of WLB’s first DA lodged in 2013, which was denied by Waverley Council and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

Community group Save Bronte had campaigned vigorously to block the 2013 DA, on the grounds of ‘gross overdevelopment’. The new plan has significantly reduced retail composition of the site along with the number of apartments.

While the new proposal appears more compliant with council development controls, the plan does not completely obey the 13m height restriction, with sections up to 3.8m above regulation.

Save Bronte spokesperson Stephen Lightfoot told City Hub that while this new DA was a ‘step in the right direction’, the community group was concerned about aspects of the plan.

“We are very concerned about the potential to upscale the retail component of the building in the post-approval stage of development,” he said.

“We also find it hard to believe that the DA yet again seeks to raise the height limit.”

Dr Lightfoot said the community will “oppose 100% any increase in the height limit”, and wants a compliant development.

“What we need is a development that complements our neighbourhood centre, not dominates it.”