Winim Wins Court Appeal on Historic Hotel Plans

Winim Developments’ plans to upgrade the old Glenferrie Lodge Hotel at Kirribilli will go ahead after the NSW Land and Environment Court ruled in its favour.

The application went to court after North Sydney Council failed to decide on the plans to add a five-storey rear-wing extension to the heritage-listed building in May, 2023 and it was a deemed refusal.

The Sydney-based luxury developer had more timely success in court as the appeal was upheld with a few conditions.

The plans designed by Rothelowman are for a modern extension of the 1940s building on a 1207sq m site at 12A Carabella Street, Kirribilli.

It would add three residential apartments with three or four bedrooms in each along with 42 rooms above basement parking on the high side of Carabella Street.

However, the court decided the new restaurant and bar planned at Glenferrie Lodge Hotel would be limited to the registered guests of the hotel to reduce traffic and noise in the area.

The building was located in an R4 High Density Residential zone where flat buildings were permitted however accommodation was not permitted but this property had historic usage.

▲ Hotelier Jean-Claude Branch listed a collection of four boutique hotels that included the Glenferrie Lodge in 2020 and it will be restored and extended by the new owners.

Neighbours were concerned about the loss of views, height, traffic, noise and overshadowing.

Planning experts on the case agreed there was no impact on views due to the envelope of the existing Glenferrie Lodge Hotel.

Some amendments were made to the materials and finish of the development to integrate it within the heritage fabric of the area.

Issues surrounding affordable housing did not apply in this case as this type of housing would not be reduced [or increased] and no residents would be displaced.

The win follows a similar battle at Neutral Bay in February in which Winim received the go-ahead for another Rothelowman-designed apartment building. 

▲ At the time the sale of 396 George Street represented a record sale rate per square metre of lettable area of $262,500 and will now be renovated to add a tenant upstairs.

Last week the Land and Environment Court also gave the go-ahead for a fancy fitout of the 1860s former Darrell Lea Chocolates store to add a retail tenant on the upper floor and extra signage.

Swanvest Pty Ltd, led by Victor Comino, purchased the now Telstra Discovery store at 396 George Street, Sydney in 2015 for $26.25 million.

Comino also owned the flagship Apple store and the Louis Vuitton store across the street along with a large portfolio of Sydney properties.