Antony Catalano's Byron Bay project approved amid court appearance

Millionaire businessman Antony Catalano has received planning approval to expand his family’s luxury Byron Bay compound as he prepares to return to court on Friday over allegations he violently assaulted his wife.

The fallen media mogul plans to build a third expansive home in the exclusive Wategos Bay enclave, creating a sprawling estate worth more than $67 million.

Whether he will be there to watch it come to fruition remains up in the air, as he faces Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on eight criminal charges, accused of threatening to kill and breaking the tailbone of Stefanie Catalano in a late-night incident at their luxury St Kilda penthouse in March.

The couple, who share four children alongside Antony’s further five children from previous marriages, have reconciled since the incident, with Stefanie making two statements of no complaint to police, saying she does not support the case going ahead and does not want to provide evidence against her husband – although she could still be subpoenaed to do so.

As well as the “statements of no complaint” Stefanie has also lodged a police ethical standards complaint about her treatment in the months since her husband’s arrest, alleging authorities were seeking to “destroy” him.

Police claim Catalano swung a clothes iron at his wife’s head, unlawfully imprisoned her in the apartment, threatened to stab her to death, and choked or strangled her. Stefanie was admitted to hospital with a fractured tailbone.

CCTV footage showing common areas adjacent to the Catalano’s apartment is part of the police case against him, with Stefanie also providing a statement shortly after the incident.

The $30 million penthouse apartment in the Saint Moritz building on the St Kilda foreshore is currently being rented to Hollywood actor Jamie Foxx, who is in Melbourne working on a film project. The apartment is rented at a peak short-term nightly rate of about $9,000.

Catalano has been on bail since March, when he entered a residential rehabilitation facility in Melbourne. At the time, he said he was “struggling with significant mental health and substance abuse issues”.

He was stood aside from his role as executive chair of Australian Community Media, which he owns 50-50 with billionaire Alex Waislitz.

Two of Catalano’s oldest sons, Jordan and Luca, took over as directors of their father’s myriad business interests. These include a large portfolio of property and businesses in Byron Bay, including luxury boutique hotel Raes on Wategos.

The media proprietor has been quietly progressing plans for what has been a controversial development of the family compound in the exclusive precinct of the glamorous resort town.

Plans for the original two-home family estate were first rejected by Byron Shire Council. After an 18-month battle, Catalano successfully appealed the decision to the NSW Land and Environment Court, which conditionally approved his plans in June.

In August, this masthead exclusively revealed that Catalano had submitted more plans to build a third home on an adjacent block, which is held in Stefanie’s name and would also form part of the family complex.

The total cost of the development is in the order of $67 million based on land acquisition and stated building costs, but could be expected to run to a higher total spend as construction unfolds. The project would make it one of Byron’s most expensive residential estates.

Council documentation reveals the third, recently approved, residence would cost an estimated $4.1 million to build and be three levels including basement storage, underground parking and an upper-level swimming pool. It would be similar in style and materials to the neighbouring larger, two-home development.

Separate lawyers for both Stefanie and Antony Catalano were contacted for comment.

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