Housing & planning · Randwick City Council
Coogee serviced-apartment project faces management-plan hurdle before occupation
The Randwick Local Planning Panel granted deferred commencement consent for alterations at 161-167 Dolphin Street, but an updated plan covering noise, complaints, security and patron capacity must be approved before the development is occupied or used.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
An updated management plan must be approved before the serviced-apartment development at 161-167 Dolphin Street, Coogee, can be occupied or used under the consent granted by the Randwick Local Planning Panel.
The panel’s unanimous resolution on 10 September granted deferred commencement consent for DA/665/2026. The approved works include internal reconfiguration, an upgraded Level 6 roof terrace with barbecue facilities and seating beneath a new canopy, an additional communal lounge, lift and plant changes, facade and roof-finish upgrades, and two ground-level signage zones.
The panel also accepted variations to the Height of Buildings and Floor Space Ratio standards in the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012. It recorded that compliance was unnecessary and unreasonable in the circumstances and that sufficient environmental planning grounds supported the variations.
Condition 15 requires an updated plan of management to be submitted to and approved by Council’s Manager of Development Assessment before occupation or use. It must set out measures dealing with approved acoustic reports, noise emissions, nearby residents’ amenity, anti-social behaviour, resident complaints, responsible alcohol service, security and surveillance, and the authorised maximum number of patrons.
The public minutes confirm the consent and its conditions, but do not say whether the plan has been submitted or approved. They also do not establish when occupation or use under the consent might begin. The consent is also subject to the deferred commencement and standard conditions attached to the assessment report.
What deserves a closer look
The minutes confirm the consent and the pre-occupation or pre-use management-plan condition, but do not record whether the plan has since been submitted or approved.
The deferred commencement consent is also subject to the deferred commencement and standard conditions attached to the assessment report.
Questions for follow-up reporting
Has the updated plan of management been submitted to and approved by Council's Manager of Development Assessment?
What authorised patron capacity applies under the consent?
When, if at all, will occupation or use under the deferred commencement consent begin?
What happens next
The applicant must comply with the deferred commencement and standard consent conditions attached to the assessment report.
An updated plan of management must be submitted to and approved by Council's Manager of Development Assessment before occupation or use.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The panel granted deferred commencement consent for alterations and additions to the serviced-apartment building at 161-167 Dolphin Street, Coogee, subject to deferred commencement and standard conditions and an amendment to Condition 15. The approved works include roof-terrace, communal-lounge, lift, plant, facade, roof-finish and signage changes.
and • There are sufficient environmental planning grounds to justify the contravention of the relevant development standard. B. That the RLPP determines to grant "Deferred Commencement" consent under Section 4.16(3) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, as amended, to Development Application No. DA/665/2026 for Alterations and additions to existing building comprising serviced apartments, including demolition of internal walls and reconfiguration of ground floor and associated services, upgrade of the existing roof terrace at Level 6 to provide BBQ facilities and seating area under new canopy, facilitate an additional communal lounge in addition to an internal communal kitchen and toilet, upgrade of lift and provision of new lift platform, relocation of existing plant to the upper roof plant deck, new lift throughout the building, upgrades to the facades and roof floor finishes including 2x signage zones at the ground level, and other associated works, at No. 161-167 Dolphin Street, Coogee, subject to the deferred commencement and standard conditions attached to the assessment report, and subject to amendment of condition 15 Updated Plan of Management as set out below.
D64/26
Open original minutes ↗The panel was satisfied that the applicant's written requests to vary the Height of Buildings and Floor Space Ratio standards in the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012 demonstrated that compliance was unnecessary and unreasonable and that sufficient environmental planning grounds justified the contraventions.
That the RLPP is satisfied that the applicant's written requests to vary the development standards relating to Height of Buildings and Floor Space Ratio in Clauses 4.3 and 4.4 of Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012 have demonstrated that: • Compliance with the relevant development standard is unnecessary and unreasonable in the circumstances of the case; and • There are sufficient environmental planning grounds to justify the contravention of the relevant development standard. B. That the RLPP determines to grant "Deferred Commencement" consent under Section 4.16(3) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, as amended, to Development Application No.
D64/26
Open original minutes ↗Condition 15 requires an updated plan of management to be submitted to and approved by Council's Manager of Development Assessment before occupation or use, with measures covering noise, amenity, anti-social behaviour, complaints, alcohol service, security, surveillance and patron capacity.
The Panel supports the application for the reasons given in the assessment report, subject to Condition 15 being amended as follows: 15. Updated Plan of Management An updated plan of management shall be submitted to and approved by Council's Manager of Development Assessment prior to occupation or use of the development, which details the measures to be implemented to: • ensure compliance with the relevant conditions of development consent and relevant approved acoustic reports. • ensure compliance with relevant noise criteria and minimise noise emissions and associated nuisances, • minimise the potential environmental and amenity impacts upon nearby residents, • effectively minimise and manage anti-social behaviour, • effectively manage and respond to resident complaints, • ensure responsible service of alcohol and harm minimisation, • provision of adequate security and surveillance, • ensure that the maximum number of patrons does not exceed the authorised capacity, in accordance with Council's consent Condition Reason: To protect the acoustic amenity of surrounding residents and minimise potential noise impacts associated
Condition 15
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from public minutes of the Randwick Local Planning Panel (Electronic) meeting held on 10 September 2026, Randwick City Council.
Key facts from the minutes
- The panel granted deferred commencement consent for DA/665/2026 at 161-167 Dolphin Street, Coogee, on 10 September 2026.
- The approved works include serviced-apartment alterations, communal-facility and roof-terrace upgrades, lift and plant changes, facade works and two ground-level signage zones.
- The panel accepted variations to the Height of Buildings and Floor Space Ratio standards in Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012.
- An updated plan of management must be approved by Council’s Manager of Development Assessment before occupation or use.
- The plan must cover noise, residents’ amenity, complaints, anti-social behaviour, alcohol service, security, surveillance and authorised patron capacity.
- The resolution was recorded as carried unanimously.
Why it matters
- The condition gives nearby Coogee residents a formal set of requirements covering noise, amenity, complaints, anti-social behaviour, alcohol service, security and patron numbers before the development can be occupied or used.