IN what is possibly one of the quickest approvals ever seen, Bathurst Regional Council has given Harvey Norman the go-ahead to move into the former Masters Home Improvement site.
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The development application, proposing the change of use, internal alterations and commercial signage at the vacant site, was only lodged with council on Wednesday.
By late Thursday afternoon, it was approved.
Mayor Bobby Bourke said the quick approval was thanks to a high level of communication between both parties.
"I met with the general manager of Harvey Norman; he and a delegation came to council on Tuesday and gave us the intentions they wanted to move and move quick," he said.
"As the mayor, I got the director and staff in to hurry up the process and we've had a really good outcome with them.
"After an hour or two of talking to them, we could see the urgency in wanting to move over into there because of the lease running out and it's good to see that a big retail store like Harvey Norman is so committed to being here in Bathurst."
Speaking to the Western Advocate on Thursday, prior to the DA being approved, Harvey Norman co-founder and executive chairman Gerry Harvey said he wanted to have the doors open at the new location by July 1.
Relocating the store has been under consideration for a long time, with Mr Harvey saying he had been looking into possible locations for years, but never found an option that would allow him to achieve what he wanted for the store.
Now, he has settled on the former Masters site, which has been vacant since December 2016, and promises the new location will do great things for the city.
"I think it's a wonderful opportunity for three things," he said.
"One, a great big site that's not occupied isn't going to waste; two, for Harvey Norman it will give them a much better outlet; and, three, for Bathurst, because it will be something that Bathurst hasn't got and it will bring people from all over that area into Bathurst to have a look at what we've got."
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Cr Bourke said the situation with Harvey Norman shows that, with the right communication and planning, council and businesses can work together to get things done quickly.
"I really appreciate Neil Southorn's direction on this, as the director of planning, to hurry up this process," he said.
"... They (Harvey Norman) tried to have a result by Friday and we were looking more at Tuesday or Wednesday of the following week, because of the processes you've got to go through, but council worked overtime on this and to have it up and finished by Thursday, within two days, it just shows businesses and council can work together.
"Any other businesses, just contact me and if I can hurry up the same process I will."
He looks forward to having Harvey Norman in Pat O'Leary Drive and hopes that the store's presence will help draw in patrons to the other businesses in the precinct.
