Sporties developer gives emotional address

Sporties developer Mr Tony Altavilla addressed the Joint Regional Planning Panel meeting on behalf of the applicant, the current owner of the Woy Woy Sporties property, Woy Woy Holdings Pty Ltd.

"I have been living here 50 or more years and I have seen the flooding," Mr Altavilla said.

"I am just as passionate.

"I am here to save the Woy Woy bowling club from sinking and drowning," he said.

"All the bad publicity we are having is sinking the club.

"The club can no longer survive in its present state."

Mr Altavilla said the actual club had "never flooded", explaining that the Sporties land had been raised above the flood level.

"I agree the road does flood but it is not [for] me to address the road, the Council should have addressed this road years and years ago."

In terms of the bulk and scale of the proposed development he said plans had been changed multiple times in an effort to overcome community and Council concerns.

"We have had a rooftop green, an underground green," he said.

"There is a solution to all this. We are intelligent. We love the club.

"The Opera House is built on water. The tunnel is built on water. There are solutions," he said.

An emotional Mr Altavilla told the panel he and his family had paid a significant personal cost in their efforts to "save the club" including personal intimidation and threats.

"What else can I do to support it?" he asked.

Unable to continue his presentation, a distraught Mr Altavilla left the meeting, saying: "Intimidate me, and treat me like shit. I love the area more than anybody. You can have the club. Take me. Kill me."

Panel chair Mr Tony Perica said the meeting would allow Mr Altavilla time to compose himself and continue his presentation but he did not return.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr Perica said the Panel's legal decision to refuse the development would be published on its website within seven days and could be the subject of a legal challenge if the developer so decided.

SOURCE:

Meeting notes, 24 Aug 2018

Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel

Reporter: Jackie Pearson