
Support Small Business
Coles has amended their DA 258/23 to develop the Woolworths site at Neutral Bay Village. Coles now own this site and lodged a problematic DA in October 2023. Over 400 submissions were received by Council detailing the Community concerns. Coles has addressed some of those concerns with their amended DA, however we still have numerous issues that we are concerned with.
Why do the Coles plans still show/include the underground car park on public land?

If there is no commercial benefit for Coles to build the basement car park, then why are they doing it?? If there is a commercial benefit, why aren’t they paying for it?
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Coles have amended their DA plans and reduced the height, indicating that this makes the funding of any public benefit unfeasible,
therefore they have withdrawn building a new Plaza.
If this is the case, why do they continue to excavate and build carparking underground, other than to support commercial benefits for their supermarket
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*A VPA is an agreement entered into by a planning authority (such as a council) and a developer under which the developer agrees to fund or provide services.
*Extracts from Cover Letter supporting Amended DA dated 31 Oct 24. To view full letter click here.

Coles No longer Funding Public Plaza
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Incomplete plans – Coles has confirmed publicly that they intend to amend these plans to decrease the height to make the project feasible. How can we provide feedback when we don’t currently have the full picture?
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What happens then? What is delivered above the carpark, who pays for this and when will the Plaza be delivered?
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A great plaza is important. What happens underground impacts what can be done at ground level. Both need to be planned at the same time to get the best outcomes for locals, and not something that’s being retro-fitted​
Favouring Coles to the detriment of small business
The main access proposed by Coles is a travelator that is located directly at the entrance to the Coles supermarket. While the rest of the Village retailers have a stairwell – this is not equitable access

2+ Years Of Staged Construction
Loss of parking spots and circulation will be cut off during YEARS of construction.
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The community needs better staging from Coles. The supermarket car park should be built and opened before the public Grosvenor car park is impacted.
We propose:
Stage 1: Build parking and supermarket​ on the existing supermarket site, leaving Grosvenor Lane Carpark during construction to support Neutral Bay Village.
Stage 2: Build new parking below the Grosvenor Lane Carpark and Plaza only after the new parking is finished underneath the supermarket.
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** Please note this event is dependent on the weather, we will decide on 3pm on the day and advise if we need to postpone. Please keep an eye on this page for any updates.

Destruction of small business
The removal of convenient on-grade/ground level parking will impact the small businesses of Neutral Bay Village.
The grab-and-go shopping is at the heart of Neutral Bay Village and is valued by long standing retailers and their customers.
The years of proposed construction staging (reduction in customer parking and car park circulation cut off) will destroy the small businesses you love in Neutral Bay. Who will compensate retailers while public land is developed?
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The community needs better staging from Coles. The supermarket car park should built and opened before the public Grosvenor car park is impacted.
The Grosvenor Lane car park EOI process needs to be complete before any DA is accepted

PUBLIC LAND
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Council have launched an EOI for the Grosvenor Lane Carpark. How can the Coles DA be assessed over the same area if this process is not completed?
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The public are being asked to provide feedback on the amended DA however the full scope and plan is unknown.
Have your say by 5pm Friday 10th January
It is crucial that Council are aware of your concerns. We encourage you to make a submission to North Sydney Council by 5pm Friday 10th of January and share your views. ​
Now is the time to have your say and demand a better way for Neutral Bay Village.
All submissions must include
reference: Coles DA 258/23
Key Points to Raise to Council on DA 258/23:
Loss of Public Plaza and Poor Ground-Level Design
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Coles has withdrawn funding for the public plaza while proceeding with plans to excavate and build a basement car park which is on public land.
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Above-ground and underground elements are disconnected, risking poor outcomes for the plaza and pedestrian experience.
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Equitable Access and Design Concerns
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The proposed travelator favours Coles' supermarket, while the rest of the Village relies on stairs.
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Setbacks are inadequate, with ground-level setbacks needed to enhance the pedestrian environment.
Negative Impact on Small Businesses
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Years of construction will cut off parking and circulation, inconveniencing customers and devastating local small businesses.
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The removal of convenient on-grade parking undermines "grab-and-go" shopping valued by retailers and customers.
Lack of Transparency and Incomplete Plans
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Coles plans further amendments to the DA, leaving the community unable to fully assess the project’s impact.
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Council's expression of interest process for Grosvenor Lane car park is incomplete, yet this DA is being assessed.
Community-Centric Staging and Accountability
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Construction staging must prioritise building the supermarket car park before disrupting the public Grosvenor car park.

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THANK YOU!
Our long-standing businesses are concerned.
Neutral Bay Village is made up of the shop owners, tenants and staff of the area, many retailers who have been established for over 30 years including Priceline Pharmacy, Dymocks, Mr Gordons, Merrigal Gifts, Olympus Sports, Cosmo's Florist, Bakers Delight, Chaos Cafe and Shoulder to Shank Organic Meats.
We want to preserve the Neutral Bay Village feel and maintain easy access to a wide variety of shops and services. Council has listened to many of our concerns but there is more to do. This does not mean we must stop progress, we are all for it. We must however keep the fabric and history of Neutral Bay village with convenience and a wide array of convenient retailers who proudly serve their community.