Councillors will have the opportunity to voice opinions on the proposed development at the Dairy Farmers site on the corner on Bentinck and Howick streets before it goes to a full council meeting later in June.

The development application provides for a 42-apartment, five-storey complex with four residential levels over a car parking level. The proposed complex would be built to a maximum height of 17.14m. 

Access to the building would be via a one-way entrance and one-way exit on Howick Street.

Independent of the development application is a further proposal to subdivide the site into six allotments, reducing it from the current 23 allotments. The subdivision development application is undergoing assessment. 

In mid-May, after the development application for the apartment complex came off public exhibition, five submissions were received by council.

Issues raised in the submissions included the height of the building and its non-compliance with the 12-metre height restriction under the Bathurst Regional LEP 2014, the limited visibility of the Dairy Farmers tower from Howick Street, the overshadowing of adjoining dwellings on Howick Street and the potential for invasion of privacy of residents of adjoining dwellings.

The submissions also raised concerns about the aesthetics of the building, with claims it  wouldn’t be consistent with the existing streetscape.

Some submissions said the proposal was “oversized and unimaginative” and that it would not be in keeping with Bathurst’s heritage landscape.

The submissions recommended that the council insist the exterior of the building include historic features to better blend with the streetscape.

Some submissions claimed there had been a lack of consideration of the heritage significance of the site in the design.

A report will be prepared following tonight’s discussion forum for the next available council meeting so that it can make a decision on the development application.