funding · Randwick City Council
Coogee housing proposal refused over basement flooding and earthworks
The Randwick Local Planning Panel unanimously rejected a 13-apartment development at 209-215 Coogee Bay Road after finding its earthworks, flooding impacts and underground infrastructure had not been adequately addressed.
A proposed 13-apartment shop-top housing development at 209-215 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee, has been refused after the Randwick Local Planning Panel found the application did not demonstrate that its earthworks were acceptable, including in light of flooding identified in the proposed basement and car lift.
The integrated development application, DA/643/2026, proposed demolishing the existing buildings for a part five- to six-storey building with 13 apartments, roof terraces, four retail tenancies fronting Coogee Bay Road and basement parking. The panel refused consent under section 4.16 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
It also found the application gave insufficient consideration to infrastructure beneath the site and did not provide enough detail for a suitable assessment. The panel said the likely impacts on the building’s internal amenity and the surrounding locality were unacceptable, and that the site had not been shown to be suitable for the extent of development proposed.
Other refusal reasons included non-compliance with Randwick Development Control Plan 2025 provisions covering local character, landscaping and biodiversity, waste management, transport, traffic and parking, water management, setbacks and local centres.
The panel also found the proposal failed to satisfy several requirements under SEPP (Housing) 2021 and the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012, including controls for desired future character, deep-soil zones, visual privacy, natural ventilation and apartment size and layout.
The application is already subject to a deemed refusal in the Land and Environment Court, and statements of facts and contentions have been issued. The panel encouraged the applicant to enter into without-prejudice discussions with Randwick Council before any Section 34 Conference.
The discussions should address floor-space ratio and affordable-housing provisions, the size of lightwells, waste-bin movements, and whether planting on the front façade could be structurally supported and maintained.
Panel member Stephen Davies declared an actual conflict because his firm prepared the site’s Heritage Assessment. He left the meeting and did not participate in the review, discussion or determination. The refusal was carried unanimously.
Reference minutes
Randwick City Council’s Randwick Local Planning Panel (Public) meeting on 8 October 2026 determined the application.
Key facts from the minutes
- The Randwick Local Planning Panel refused DA/643/2026 for 209-215 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee.
- The proposal included 13 apartments, roof terraces, four retail tenancies and basement parking in a part five- to six-storey building.
- The panel cited flooding impacts identified in the proposed basement and car lift when assessing the earthworks.
- The panel found insufficient consideration had been given to infrastructure beneath the site.
- The application was found not to comply with provisions of SEPP (Housing) 2021, the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012 and the Randwick Development Control Plan 2025.
- The matter is already subject to a deemed refusal in the Land and Environment Court.
- The refusal was carried unanimously, with Stephen Davies absent from the determination because of a declared conflict of interest.
Why it matters
- The submitted development cannot proceed in its current form. Flooding, earthworks, underground infrastructure and impacts on surrounding amenity remain issues for any future redevelopment of the Coogee site.