Joss Constructions and Regional Nominees lodged a development application with Bathurst Regional Council seeking to build a five-storey serviced apartment complex on the disused site at the corner of Bentinck and Howick streets.

Council’s planning staff recommended the DA be rejected, citing concerns over the height, bulk and size of the complex and a lack of parking, among other issues.

The proposed complex would have been 17.14 metres at its highest point, well above the 12 metre cap allowed under council’s Local Environment Plan, and councillors wasted no time knocking back the plans at Wednesday’s monthly meeting. Not a single councillor spoke on the item before they unanimously rejected the DA.

Earlier, a number of people had addressed council from the public gallery, urging them to reject the Regional Nominees’ proposal in its current form.

Steve Birrell, who has taken ownership of the Tremain’s Mill precinct on Keppel Street and is also in talks with council about redeveloping the site, told councillors they had a responsibility to “respect and enforce” the LEP.

“The Bathurst LEP, for all its shortcomings, is our blueprint for the future and should be respected,” Mr Birrell said.

“As a community we deserve to know where our city is going and what to expect in the future.

“The LEP is our protection against uncontrolled development in our city.”

Mr Birrell said the Dairy Farmers DA should never have been submitted in its current form.

“If we allow developers to put up propositions that are grossly outside LEP guidelines then we are wasting time and money. I would ask that council only consider applications that comply with the LEP to save yourselves and the community a great deal of grief.”

National Trust branch chairman Iain Macpherson endorsed Mr Birrell’s comments.

“We are very keen to see development on this site, but development that respects its status as a landmark site and development that meets the LEP,” he said.