Builder Grocon has lodged an application with Hobsons Bay council for a five-storey development on the site of the Williamstown RSL club and an adjoining RSL-owned house.
As reported by Star Weekly a year ago, RSL Victoria gave the sub-branch the option to redevelop or close as the latter struggles to repay a $2.8million debt.
The sub-branch chose to redevelop. Grocon’s plans submitted to the council show 69 dwellings, along with 93 car spaces across two basement levels.
Williamstown RSL president Bruce O’Brien said there were also plans for retail on the ground floor.
“We have a debt of $2.8million,” he said.
“[If the project goes ahead] we could still have a small debt, but it will be a comfortable debt. It will depend on what the units sell for as against the cost to build them.”
Mr O’Brien said the new Williamstown RSL Club would be modern but reflect members’ military past and Williamstown’s history.
“We also want it to reflect that it’s a community club,” he said. “Something like 22 community organisations use our club and we don’t charge them.
“Once we get back into the swing of things, we would hope to get back to what we used to do before we started losing money, and that is [providing] scholarships for the local primary schools. All the junior sports clubs – we used to give them donations, which we haven’t been able to do recently.”
The Williamstown sub-branch, which is about 95 years old, has more than 1000 members and directly and indirectly employs about 35 people.
During development, Williamstown members will use the Spotswood-Kingsville sub-branch premises.
