Bronte Surf Club and Community Facilities Building Upgrade

2 July 2020

Waverley Council this week unanimously voted to develop two concept designs for the new Bronte Surf Club and Community Facilities Building.

One of these proposals will be based on specific controls incorporated within the Bronte Park and Beach Plan of Management (2017). The other will seek to modify the concept design that went to public consultation late May to 3 June, based on the design criteria arising out of the Council’s recent public consultation process.

Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos, said the design review process for the latter concept design will consider a number of principles that aim to strike a balance between the needs of the community, the surf club and the Council.

These principles include:

(a) Reduction of overall footprint of the building(s).

(b) Consider relocation of the Public amenities and Council facilities to within existing building curtilage

(c) Manage noise impacts through function room design, balcony size and acoustic design.

(d) Consider locating Dave Brown Place within existing curtilage.

(e) Minimise net loss of public open space and public green space.

(f) Investigate improved accessibility of the Coast Walk and Bronte Park.

(g) Address perceived privatisation of public space through improved design to the extent practical (with further consideration to be given to these issues through building management arrangements and lease conditions).

(h) Minimise impacts from building height and subsequent view loss.

(i) Address intensification of site including visitation, event, traffic and parking impacts through improved design to the extent practical (with further consideration to be given to these issues through building management arrangements and lease conditions).

(j) Provide justification/rationale for proposed bulk & scale, internal configuration and balcony size for any amended design proposal.

(k) Redesign to obtain a reduction in budget shortfall.

(l) Mitigate risk associated with coastal inundation and rising sea levels.

(m) Consider and respond to the inter-dependencies of the Bronte SLSC and Community Facilities project with the design and programming of the Bronte seawall restoration project.

“Almost half (46.9%) of the 688 respondents to our latest survey said they liked what we had planned but common themes raised through the consultation process included that the building is too large and that there should be no loss in green space,” Mayor Masselos said.

“These are concerns that we take very seriously, and we will be using the feedback received to inform a revised concept design that responds to design review principles adopted by Council on Tuesday.”

The new building will include Waverley Council lifeguard and first aid facilities, family and accessible public amenities, administrative offices, kiosk, gymnasium, function and training rooms. The promenade will also be upgraded for all users of Bronte Beach.

A report into the two concept designs will be presented to Council for further consideration.

-ENDS-