It took a four-year rebuild and a development application (DA) that caused endless objections from their neighbours to create the sprawling property, which is now on the market for an eye-watering $33 million, according to the Australian Financial Review .
In 2016, the couple paid $4.9 million for the 700-square-metre site, which was the former family home of Sydney racing royalty Gai Waterhouse and her husband Robbie.
A decade on, the pair have built a six-bedroom, three-storey home, which the AFR reports Sacco and Dooley have decided to sell as they plan to upsize to accommodate their growing family.
“When we started building we had three kids, now we have seven,” Sacco told the publication.
Dooley is behind Janus Electric, a company that specialises in converting diesel-powered trucks to electric vehicles, while Sacco is a dentist.
Despite spending years working on the house, the newly completed mansion has never actually been lived in.
The property has eight bathrooms, a three-car garage, and sweeping views of Sydney Harbour, including Shark Island.
Inside, the home features an elevator, a mineral swimming pool and spa, and an outdoor entertaining area, complete with a marble bar.
There’s also a billiards room, wine cellar, fireplace, wellness room with a gym, sauna and steam shower.
Fittingly, the home can be operated remotely.
“So if you’re halfway up the street you can open the gate, turn the fireplace on, set scenes for lighting, and have your towels warmed for a certain time,” Sacco explained.
The couple also used a feng shui master during the design process, leading them to include a koi pond and a solid brass front door.
However, building the home was not without a few bumps in the road.
“It was a contentious DA, we were building something quite substantial, and we got it through during COVID,” Sacco told the AFR.
Council records show plans to demolish the home, carport and swimming pool were submitted in January 2020, with the proposed plans coming with a staggering estimated cost of $2.77 million.
The development was accompanied by disputes from the neighbourhood, concerned about how the home would impact their harbour views.
Minutes from a Mosman Local Planning Panel meeting in August 2020 show that five neighbours addressed the panel, alongside Sacco and others involved in the project.
Despite the many objections, the panel unanimously decided to approve the application on the condition that changes were made to increase privacy for a neighbouring property.
9 Burrawong Avenue, Mosman NSW 2088
They also found that any second storey built on the site would have some impact on views, but the proposal still complied with development standards.
However, the dispute wasn’t over yet.
In 2021, the pair lodged a new application with changes to the approved design, but it sparked even more objections from neighbours.
In one submission, nearby residents argued the new version would restrict the harbour views of neighbouring properties and the public.
They also complained about changes to the roof, claiming it breached planning controls.
The new plans went on to be approved by the Mosman Local Planning Panel in March 2022.
Despite the uphill battle to get approval and build the home, Sacco and Dooley have decided to sell the property before moving in.
The home is listed with Atlas agents Michael Coombs and Priscilla Ouvrier.
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