The section of Globe Lane near the vacant David Jones building will be sold to a private developer. Photo: Keeli Royle.
A section of Globe Lane will be closed and sold to Globe Consortium, the developers of the old David Jones site and City Diggers in Wollongong.
The Globe Consortium approached Wollongong City Council to ask for the closure and subsequent purchase of the section of Globe Lane between the two buildings.
The lane is currently used as a thoroughfare between the Globe Lane hospitality precinct and Burelli Street.
It is also used for access by utilities providers and to store event equipment for the weekly Crown Street markets.
Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown said the sale of the neglected end of Globe Lane would be a step towards a reinvigorated precinct and tourism sector.
“The project will bring two much-needed hotels to the city as well as more office accommodation,” she said.
“We recognise the need for more accommodation in the city for tourism and we should support this development.
“The site of the DJs building sitting empty for many years – barring a brief time as a vaccination centre – has been a handbrake on our city.
“I can’t wait to see this new hotel arise and hopefully encourage more hotel developments in our city.”
The council and Destination Wollongong have previously identified a shortage of visitor accommodation in the region as a stumbling block for the local economy.
International events, such as the UCI Cycling Championships bring visitors to the area, but with nowhere to stay many end up spending their money on accommodation in Sydney.
The Globe plans to fill that gap, with a three-building complex across the former City Diggers and David Jones sites.
The site will be redeveloped as The Globe, a three-building complex with two hotels.
The buildings will include a rebuilt City Diggers Club with a five-storey hotel above to be managed by the Wollongong Golf Club, an eight-storey office building and a 15-storey, 5-star hotel.
An underground carpark beneath Globe Lane will service the businesses.
Endeavour Energy, gas company Jemena, nearby businesses and the city centre’s cleaning team all lodged objections to the partial closure of Globe Lane, due to the loss of access to essential infrastructure.
A report tendered to the council said the closure and sale would be subject to an easement that permitted the public to use the surface of the land after the underground carpark was built.
Globe Consortium must maintain pedestrian and vehicle access through the lane.
“If an easement for a right of way for vehicular and pedestrian access exists at the time that the subject road is sold and the new owner attempts to prevent the public from utilising Globe Lane, the council may initiate injunctive proceedings in the Supreme Court to require the owner to allow continued public access over Globe Lane,” the report read.
All councillors except Cr Andrew Anthony voted in favour of the closure and sale. Cr Anthony was absent from the vote due to a potential conflict.
