Sam Arnaout’s Iris Capital is looking to redevelop the tired St Ives shopping centre and add a new Tavern, but locals and politicians are fighting the plans on social media and in parliament.
Iris is close to settling on a $450 million deal to purchase the St Ives Village Shopping Centre, built in the 1960s, along with 12 adjoining retail properties, in the up-market northern Sydney precinct.
A DA (development application) has been lodged with Ku-ring-gai Council for a new shopping centre that includes an outdoor dining court and a seven-screen cinema complex, while retaining the existing nearby skatepark and playground. The redevelopment is proposed to also construct a tavern, licensed until 2am, which would include a gaming room with up to 30 machines.
An environmental impact statement in the DA offered the project would create a “family friendly facility” with high-quality f&b options, and was in keeping with “the character of the St Ives town centre”.
But while local stakeholders are eager to see the vintage village upgraded, they are voicing increasing objection to any plans for poker machines to be part of the proposal.
Nicolette Boele, Independent federal MP for Bradfield, which incorporates St Ives, broached the question in Federal parliament as to whether EGMs should be part of St Ives development, offering that residents had raised concerns about the “broader social impacts” of “gambling-related stress”.
She relayed the notion that the proximity of poker machines to a family friendly place is “socially irresponsible” and would somehow “dramatically change the character” of the village, which is being completely redeveloped.
Boele said she had been lobbied by over 80 residents, and conducted a survey on social media amongst local participants that found an unsurprising 94 per cent did not want gaming at the proposed tavern.
The ‘No Poker Machines In St Ives Village’ Facebook page boasts a total of 325 followers. ABS Census data shows St Ives has 18,384 residents.
One local, Lea Winter, championed that she was excited for the redevelopment, but says poker machines are “not what we want”.
Boele says there are 737 EGMs in her electorate available for people who wished to gamble. Currently the only licensed venue in the suburb is St Ives Bowling Club, which has 10 EGMs, or patrons can go to the nearby Turramurra Bowling Club, in North Turramurra, which has 14 machines.
Separately, Matt Cross, Liberal state MP for Davidson, also began a petition opposed to the inclusion of gaming machines, which he said came from “strong community opposition” to an increase in the number of machines in his electorate.
Neither parliamentarian presented arguments that recognised the local Ku-ring-gai Council’s well-known plans to bolster the night-time economy in the area.
Iris spokesperson Warwick Bowyer says the redevelopment will bring a range of benefits to an area seen by many as a dead zone after dark.
“A thriving night-time economy boosts local business, creates jobs, and provides cultural and social opportunities for our community,” notes Bowyer.
The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) will assess feedback from the community before making its ruling on licensing for a tavern.
