Aerial map showing proximity of Cooks Cove site to Sydney international and domestic airports Cooks Cove Master Plan Cooks Cove Land Ownership Cooks Cove Site Boundary NSW Legislation Rockdale City Council

The Place
Cooks Cove comprises various mixed use parcels of land owned by Rockdale City Council, Kogarah Golf Club and a number of State Government agencies – Roads and Traffic Authority, Department of Planning and Department of Lands.

The Cooks Cove Development Corporation (CCDC) was established in July 2001, under the Growth Centres (Development Corporations) Act 1974, to facilitate development of the site.

CCDC appointed Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (the Foreshore Authority) as the site’s managing agent in September 2001.

The development agent for Kogarah Golf Club is Boyd Cook Cove Pty Ltd.

The Location
This important site is approximately 10 kilometres south of the Sydney CBD and lies directly west of Sydney International Airport terminal. The site fronts Cooks River and Muddy Creek to the east, Marsh Street to the north-east, West Botany Street to the west and Bestic Street to the south.

The Proposal
To develop a major new trade and technology park, a new golf course and enhanced public space. The proposal includes consolidating the parcels of private and government lands, improving degraded wetlands and providing a range of community recreational facilities. The development is designed to capitalise on the prime location opposite the airport and proximity to the Sydney CBD.

The proposal for Cooks Cove encompasses:

• rezoning and preparation of a regional environmental plan (REP) and master plan,
• environmental investigations and audit,
• consolidation of ownership and title,
• relocation of some existing sporting uses to other sites,
• relocation and reconstruction of Kogarah Golf Course,
• remediation activities,
• development of infrastructure within the Cooks Cove precinct,
• continuous landscaped foreshore public zone, and
• preparation of Staged Development Application.

Planning Controls
Sydney Regional Environmental Plan (SREP) No. 33 was gazetted in June 2004. Principal aspects of the planning controls, which apply to the entire Cooks Cove site, are:

• rezoning of the site into commercial, open space and special use areas.

Land uses include:

• trade and technology related offices, warehousing and support retail (maximum 15,000 m²),
• serviced apartments (maximum 15,000 m²),
• support offices (maximum 5,000 m²), and
• providing for Plans of Management to be prepared and served on relevant government agencies.

The Cooks Cove Master Plan (see related links) was approved by the Minister in June 2004. The principal aspects of the master plan are:

• establish building envelopes, relationships and scale in the commercial zone,
• designate new public open spaces, pedestrian and bicycle access around and through the site,
• establish controls for the conservation and enhancement of wetlands and degraded land, and
• manage associated traffic issues in the development and the local area.

Project Status
Boyd Cook Cove Pty Ltd, the development agent for Kogarah Golf Club, lodged a development application covering the Cooks Cove site in July 2006. The relocated sporting facilities development application was lodged with Rockdale City Council in September 2006.

Both development applications were approved by council on 6 December 2006.

Boyd Cook Cove Pty Ltd is now preparing development applications for specific work packages. The first works to commence on the project will involve the sporting club facilities at Scarborough and Bicentennial Parks. This will allow the sporting clubs to relocate off the Cooks Cove site and the remediation works to commence. 

Last updated: 10 April 2007