‘Conflict of interest’ casts further doubt on Tigers’ return to Rozelle
Plans for a second harbour tunnel crossing is casting further doubt on the Balmain Tiger’s return to their original Rozelle home.
The ongoing saga around what will happen with the dilapidated site of the original Balmain Leagues club doesn’t look to be solved any time soon.
Inner West Mayor, Darcy Byrne, tells Ray Hadley “there’s lots of blame to go around” with development proposals “rejected by different state government planning panels… for over close to a decade now”.
The Chinese based developer and current site owner, Heworth, hopes their latest proposal for a 12-storey apartment complex with a new Tigers club on the ground level will get through state government scrutiny.
However, Mr Darcy tells Ray he’s worried it will all come too late as “the Tigers are in real danger of falling over before any development can be built”.
Hanging over all of this is the state government’s major “conflict of interest”, with their intention to acquire the spot “for a tunnelling site for the second harbour tunnel”.
“They’re going to determine the DA, then you’ve got a different government agency that is seeking to take over the site which would result in the Tigers never returning there.
“That will result perhaps in some compensation to the owner of the site, Heworth, up to $250-million.
“But possibly nothing at all for the Tigers.”
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