Mid-Western Regional Council rejected the development application for Mudgee’s Regent Theatre to be partially demolished to make way for a 62-room hotel, function centre, and food and drink premises.
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Councillor Russell Holden moved that they refuse the DA due to a number of reasons.
One reason was insufficient parking provided to cater for the expected demand of the hotel and its guests and consent had not been provided by a legally authorised representative of the Anglican Property Trust Diocese of Bathurst for the proposed hotel to add additional parking at the St John’s Anglican Church site.
Councillor Alex Karavas moved an amendment to re-schedule the application until the next meeting on August 15, so that consent could be sought from the Anglican Diocese. This motion was lost four-four, with the Deputy Mayor’s casting vote deciding the outcome.
Cr Holden also put forward that the development would have negative impacts on a locally listed heritage item and heritage conservation area, adverse visual impacts due to the bulk and scale of the development, adverse amenity impacts due to noise of car parking and rooftop bar and a proposed height inconsistent with height limits in the Mid-Western LEP.
The motion was carried by five votes to three with Councillors Martens, Thompson, Cavalier, Paine and Holden voting in favour.
Councillors Shelley, Karavas and O’Neill voted against it.
Mayor Des Kennedy declared a pecuniary conflict of interest in the item as he conducted a competing hotel/accommodation business. He left the Chambers and did not participate in discussion or vote in relation to this matter.
