Cabra-Vale Diggers Redevelopment

FAQS

Cabra-Vales Diggers was established as an ex-servicemen’s club in 1925 with the bowling greens opening in November, 1958. Over the years, the Club has evolved to respond to differing needs of club members and respond to demographic change in the local community.

In the past year, the Club has revamped The Opal function centre, opened the stylish Brasserie on the Park, and will soon be opening the Asian Eat Street.

The Club is excited to present its members and the community with this proposal to further enhance our amenities and services.

Our Board and Management Team work with our members to ensure we are providing diverse services and support to meet the various needs of our members.

Our membership continues to grow with current membership at over 29,000 people. Approximately 50% of our members are aged 50-69 years old with another 20% over 70 years of age. This is significantly higher than the representation of over 50 year olds in the local area. However, the local demographics of Canley Vale, Canley Heights and Cabramatta are predicted to change dramatically from 2011 to 2026 with a 30% increase in the number of community members aged 50-69 years and an extraordinary increase of community members aged over 70 years old.

As a community club, it is important that we continue to be financially sound enabling increase in servicing our community.

Cabra Vale Diggers provides an active contribution to the community through indirect and direct support. They do this through providing facilities, social and sporting activities, employment, cash and in-kind sponsorship.

Club Facilities and Services

Activities

Two bowling greens, gaming facilities and directly supporting 19 sub-clubs including sports, visual arts, chess and more

Services

Subsidised Barber and Hairdresser; Courtesy Bus;

Dining

Diverse food and beverage offerings through several bars, the Bowler’s Lounge, Brassiere on the Park, Poppy’s Café.

Events

Over 25 free and subsidised events held annually including the monthly free Seniors’ concerts and kids’ holiday events.

Revamped The Opal Function Centre provide

Community Support

In 2016, the Club provided over $650,000 in financial support to 134 organisations through ClubGrants and direct funding. Direct funding supports a diverse group of 81 local community organisations ranging from education, aged care, registered charities, health services to ethnic groups.

Currently 259 are directly employed by the Club with 79 full time positions, 115 part-time positions and 65 casual positions. This proposal will provide an additional 196 to 244 jobs.

The Club’s current salary bill is approximately $16.0m. The development will increase the total salary bill by around $9.2m - $10.8m every year.

The development application will include the following additions and improvements:

Two new bowling greens positioned at the south western side of the club with an amazing club house
New indoor community hub for activities including zumba, table tennis, indoor bowls, karaoke etc
New 700 capacity auditorium to enable more entertainment offerings
Increase of meeting rooms from four to eight to provide more facilities to sub-clubs, local not-for-profit organisations and to support local businesses requiring meeting spaces
New cafe positioned centrally within the club
New and more spacious gaming room though retaining the same number of machines
New 120 room hotel positioned on the north eastern side of the club to meet a gap in the local market, provide additional local employment opportunities and to attract more commercial events including conferences to the local area, providing benefits to our local businesses
Two additional levels of basement car parking

The floorspace of the existing club will increase by approximately 40% to accommodate the new bowlers lounge, expanded auditorium and new gaming lounge.

We are extremely pleased to be able to provide brand new bowling greens to take advantage of the afternoon western sun in addition to developing a sensational club house for our bowlers. The new club house will be modern with all the facilities of the old, but including room for trophy cabinets and more. Furthermore, it will be a place to be proud of when other bowler clubs attend events at the club.

No. the existing gaming lounge will become redundant and we encourage you to share your ideas for this space. The existing 450 poker machine licences will remain the same. In 2015/2016 the poker machines contributed approximately $40 million after taxes, accumulated depreciation and licenses to the Club. The Club achieved an overall net profit for its member of $15.4m in 2015/2016. Without the current level of poker machines the club would be unsustainable and not in a position to provide the services and support to its members and the broader community. This development proposal is aimed at providing new income streams to reduce the reliance on gaming income.

The existing and proposed hours of operation for Cabra-Vale Diggers (for the club facilities and function areas only) will remain the same:

Sunday to Thursday, 9:00am – 3.00am
Friday and Saturday, 9.00am – 6.00am

An additional 272 spaces will be provided in a new two level basement car park positioned on the north eastern boundary of the site.

Currently there are 18 disabled parking spaces. The proposal is to ensure 2% of the 1092 car spaces are disabled parking spaces, which is double of that required by the Building Code of Australia.

Yes, parents and prams parking spaces will be included.

Cabra Vale Diggers is committed to maintaining its financial sustainability for its members and community beneficiaries. In trend with other clubs who wish to secure their future, there needs to be a shift away from reliance on gaming revenue. Diversification enables our club to introduce new and expanded services to support our members and broaden our appeal to the wider community.

The two nearest hotels, Ibis Styles Sydney Lansvale and Holiday Inn Warwick Farm, are both located over two and a half kilometres from Cabra Vale Diggers. Our proposed hotel will meet a need in the local market.

The hotel will be managed by the Club under a franchise agreement with the highly-regarded Accor Group’s Novotel brand. With over 4,100 hotels globally and successful loyalty programs, the Accor Group provides confidence to its partners whilst attracting both leisure and business travellers through its global distribution network and services.

As expected of a 4.5 star establishment, the hotel will operate 24 hours, 7 days a week to meet guests need. The Club’s existing operational hours are not proposed to change.

The hotel will accommodate 120 guest rooms (including suites, standard and accessible rooms), guest lounges, hotel restaurant and bar, outdoor pool and terrace and fitness area.

Supporting the local economy perpetually

Tourism is an important component of the NSW economy between the period of January 2016 to December 2016, 33.2 million international and domestic tourists visited NSW spending $26.2b. During this period, Greater Sydney received 9.2 million domestic overnight tourists staying an average of 1.9 nights and spending $261 per day. Sydney received a further 3.6 million international tourists staying an average of 20.5 nights and spending $107 per day.

Hotel guests will create further demand for retail, commercial and transport services increasing the viability of these services.

The Economic Impact Assessment, prepared by HillPDA, estimates the hotel will attract 57,540 visitors nights per annum with an average local spend on retail goods and services at $140 per day. This would result in an injection of $8.0 million per annum to the local business community. This is in addition to the estimated $1.0 to $2.0 million dollars per annum to be locally spent by club and hotel employees.

Enhancing the local tourism offering

Cabramatta is a one of Sydney’s most renowned food tourism destinations. The annual Moon Festival attracts 80,000 per year, with the Cabramatta town centre also experiences 15,000 visitors every Sunday according to the Fairfield Investment Prospectus. As such the proposed hotel component and expanded recreational offer at Cabra-Vale Diggers Club will help to support Cabramatta in becoming a major tourist destination.

The hotel is well positioned near public transport and major arterial roads. In addition, the Canley Vale town centre is a short five minute walk away and the Cabramatta town centre, a 10 minute walk.

Providing additional and diverse local employment

The full development proposal is expected to generate between 196 - 244 new jobs, with 100 of these positions required by the club and 96-144 required to operate the hotel. As of March 2017, there were nearly 2,500 unemployed residents of Canley Vale, Canley Heights and Cabramatta.

Additionally, the creation of new positions provides new career opportunities for our existing employees.

Stimulates the Club’s financial stability

It is estimated the hotel will generate revenue of approximately $7.3m per annum based on an average charge of $202 per night and 82% occupancy rate.

Multiplier effect on other businesses

The proposed hotel will require the procurement of goods and services to operate, subsequently supporting other businesses to grow and thrive

It is estimated the development will take place over three years with staging of the development to minimize impact on the existing club operations.

The proposed staging is:

Stage One (Duration: 6 months)

Demolition of the existing vacant building located at the south west corner of the site;
Relocation of the existing bowling greens to south west corner of site; and
Development of new bowling greens and associated facilitates at western boundary of the site.

Stage Two (Duration: 18 months)

Construction of new basement car parks over two levels located to the north eastern boundary of the site (resulting in approximately additional 272 car spaces);
New gaming lounge for club facility and pre-function area; and
New entry area (inclusive of a pedestrian and vehicle porte cochere) via Railway Parade located to the east of the site.

Stage Three (Duration: 8 months)

Construction of a 120 room, 8 storey hotel
New function area, conference and meeting room area; and
Hotel roof top pool and terrace area.

Stage Four (Duration: 7 months with some cross-over with Stage 3)

Extension to Club dining facilities
Redeveloped bar and lounge areas within club

It is estimated that 285 -324 jobs would be created for each year of construction. Applying the multiplier effect, this may lead to a 1,278 in combined direct and indirect employment.

The estimated construction cost is estimated to be between $110 - $120 million.

As with any development activity, temporary inconvenience through noise, dust and traffic movements will occur during the demolition and construction period.

Project Management Plan addressing construction, noise and environmental practices will be prepared to ensure all construction impacts are reasonable and minimal.

Construction activity stimulates additional economic benefit through production (direct result due to the construction) and consumption (increased demand for goods and services) multipliers.

The estimated construction cost for the proposed scheme of $121m-$138m will generate further economic activity to the local and broader Australian economy described as:

First round effects of $75m-$85m;
Industrial Supported Effects of $78m-$89m; and
Consumption Induced Effects of $115m-$130m.

The proposed development accords with the following Government Strategies:

Draft South West District Plan (Nov 2016)

The vision of the plan is for South-western Sydney "to be a global innovation gateway and a destination of choice for existing and new communities, local residential development and visitors". Of particular relevance is the Plan's recommendation to encourage tourism in culturally diverse centres and districts in the South West District, providing opportunities for tourism and recreation as well as stimulating jobs in the tourism industry in this District.

Draft Fairfield City Plan 2016-2026 Community Strategic Plan

As such the proposed hotel component and expanded recreational offer at Cabra-Vale Diggers Club will help to support Cabramatta in becoming a major tourist destination.

A Plan for Growing Sydney (2016)

The activation of a hotel, recreational and mixed employment uses would contribute to meeting job targets and would encourage the City of Fairfield to grow and provide impetus for further investment.

China Tourism Strategy 2012-2020

The Strategy forecasts that by 2020 China will be NSW’s largest international market in terms of visitor arrivals, visitor nights and expenditure; contribute more than $2.1 billion annually to the NSW Visitor Economy and be directly responsible for 13,900 jobs.

Tourism 2020 Vision

Industry studies at the time of this policy, indicated that an additional 56,000 - 152,000 jobs were needed to be filled to meet potential and 40,000 - 70,000 new rooms are required. As such the hotel component of Cabra-Vale Diggers Club will contribute to meeting these targets.

This proposal supports the above-mentioned plans through:

Providing investment and support for jobs both during the construction process and post-development in the local and wider area (NSW 2021 A Plan to Make NSW Number 1);
Encouraging urban renewal of areas with good connectivity to transport and strategic centres, with the aim of providing employment opportunities (A Plan to Grow Sydney) through:
Supporting employment during the construction process;
Increasing the pool of retail expenditure generated in this location to support centres;
Facilitating additional value-add to the economy associated with the wages earnt by commercial, hotel and construction workers on site;
The multiplier effect of tourism in creating additional jobs in Canley Vale and the wider Sydney Region;
The “spill over effect” of tourism expenditure into the local and wider economy; and
Stimulating further investment in the surrounding area.
Contributing to the targets set by Tourism 2020 Vision to achieve more than $115b in overnight spend by 2020 as well as growing the tourist market labour force and increasing accommodation capacity;
Promote the tourist industry and support Cabramatta in becoming a major tourist destination (Fairfield City Plan 2012 & 2016); and
Provide affordable recreational uses which are easily accessible in the City of Fairfield and affordable (Fairfield City Plan 2012 & 2016).

In addition there has been influx of visitors, including International Visitors to City of Fairfield, with over 200,000 international visitors to Liverpool and Fairfield over the past 12 months. According to the Fairfield City Investment prospectus, Cabramatta Town Centre attracts over 15,000 visitors every Sunday.

Thank you to everyone who provided their feedback on the proposed vision for Cabra-Vale Diggers through consultation which took place from 3 to 30 July 2017. The Development Application is on exhibition until 12 January 2018.