Latest plans revealed for redevelopment of Sydney’s White City

The latest plans to redevelop the White City tennis complex in the Sydney suburb of Paddington have been revealed.

The historic venue, the former home of tennis in NSW that hosted major Davis Cup ties in its prime, has been in ongoing decline since the opening of the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre in 1999.

With a series of plans proposed to revitalise the venue over the past two decades, owner the Hakoah Club has revealed its latest vision for the site, a two stage, a $93 million scheme for what it says will see “the revitalisation of White City as a sporting destination including the continued use of the site for tennis”.

The development proposal states “Hakoah Club’s vision is to establish a multi-function sporting, recreation and cultural facility for the local and general Sydney community.”

Phase one of the development, which was approved in September this year, will see the construction of a full-size artificial turf football field with 260-seat grandstand for the Hakoah Sydney City East FC team (which competes in the National Premier League NSW competition).

This plan includes the creation of multipurpose sports club and spaces that can be configured for junior sport, concerts, and events such as markets and moonlight cinema.

Revealed in the past week, the second phase would see the demolition of much of the site’s former tennis infrastructure except for the historic southern grandstand built in 1923 to seat 3500 people, and its notable northern grandstand arches.

The proposal also includes the construction of new competition tennis courts which would add three additional tennis courts to the 26 courts already on the site, 16 of which are grass courts.

A 25-metre lap pool and a four-storey sports building with a gym and outdoor multipurpose courts would also be built.

The development application from the Hakoah Club acknowledges that, since 2009, “the site has become derelict and under-utilised”.

Commenting on the development in September, Hakoah Club President Steven Lowy declared the approvals a “major milestone” for the historic site, and said works could start as soon as 2020.

In 2007, the Hakoah Club sold its Bondi Beach club premises for $19 million before, in 2012, purchasing the 2.67 hectare White City property of $13.5 million.

Images show artist's impressions of the White City redevelopment.