Drummoyne locals see red over Sutton family's DA for a mega marina

A stoush is brewing between Drummoyne locals and the wealthy Sutton family over DA plans to dramatically increase the size of the Gladesville Bridge Marina.

The $7.75 million plans would more than double the number of floating berths from 50 to 115 and increase the size of yachts from 18 metres to allow super yachts of up to 45 metres, while scrapping the marina’s shipwright workshop and slipway activities.

The local action group, Save Gladesville Bridge Waterway, argues further development of the marina will benefit a select few and restrict access to the river by the wider community, and stymie any future expansion of the Parramatta River ferry service.

Local veteran real estate agent David Ward is planning to join more than 18 fellow locals who have already lodged objections to the DA since it was lodged a week before Christmas.

“This is a pretty and very narrow part of the river that’s always been popular for kayakers and rowers, and a marina is usually touted as a benefit to the community but that’s not what this is,” said Mr Ward. “They are planning to strip out the slipway to make way for a mega boat storage yard. There’s absolutely no local benefit in that.”

The DA also proposes to remove 15 of the 44 swing moorings, demolish the slipway rails and internal office mezzanine in the shipwright workshop and provide eight valet car spaces to take the total car spaces to 19.

Gladesville Bridge Marina was bought in 2007 for $20.2 million in the name of SNJ Pty Ltd, which is ultimately owned by former car dealer Neil Sutton and his son Scott, son and grandson of the late Sutton Motors founder Sir Frederick Sutton and owners of the luxury motor boat brokerage Boutique Boats based at the Rose Bay Marina.

The Sutton family declined to respond to calls directly for this story, but the manager of the Gladesville Bridge Marina, Matt Hundleby, refuted claims the DA was about public water for private usage. “The waterway, including the marina, is for everyone,” he said.

“There is a massive shortage of recreational facilities in Sydney Harbour, which is for everyone, from kayaks to yachts.

“There should be no environmental concerns. We are one of Australia’s first accredited fish-friendly marinas and we are very sensitive about the environment.

“There is no issue with ferries as we are liberating over a hectare of water and there is the potential for the department to widen the channel.”

Following concerns the marina would be used to store the family’s luxury boat fleet, Mr Hundleby said about a third of boat owners on the marina were local.

Given the scale of the DA it has been classified a “designated development” that will include an assessment by Canada Bay City Council but determined by the Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel, chaired by former Labor MP Carl Scully.

“This proposed development would be a scar on the face of our beautiful waterway,” said Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas.

“The owners are proposing a significant increase in scale for the marina and I have real concerns about the dramatic visual impact, the environmental impacts on the river and foreshore areas, as well as the traffic and parking issues that would arise.”

The existing lease for the operation of the marina expires on September 30, and the lessee has been granted consent by Transport for NSW to submit a DA for the proposed marina expansion.

Planner Ruth Frettingham, a harbour planning expert and lead author of the recently released paper Sydney Harbour Our Greatest Asset, said the community was right to be up in arms given the waterway in front of the marina was already subject to a go-slow zone for ferries. “The real tragedy is the failure of the state government as custodians of the harbour to recognise the opportunity presented by the end of the water lease,” Ms Frettingham said.

“Sydney Harbour is a public asset and people rightly expect decisions to be made in their best interests, including better public transport.”