Bathurst council: DA lodged for 16-room, $1.8 million motel on Durham Street

A development application (DA) has been lodged with council proposing to construct a 16-room motel on Durham Street, in the city's heritage conservation area, at a cost of $1.8 million.

The main building would be two storeys and include two accessible units on the ground floor and standard rooms above. There would be on-site parking for up to 22 vehicles, including waiting bays and spaces for staff.

To help make room for the motel, the applicant is proposing to knock down the dwelling at 103 Durham Street, a post-World War 2 bungalow, and partially demolish two locally heritage-listed homes at 101 and 99 Durham Street.

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These two dwellings are considered "significant as examples of Victorian Georgian style" in Bathurst.

While the plans for the motel were lodged this month, Brett Moulds Design and Drafting, the applicant acting on behalf of Labh Singh, met with council as early as October last year to discuss the proposal.

Council provided advice on progressing the DA in a letter dated November 4.

Although the motel will have a street address of Durham Street, most of the building will sit behind the existing structures at 101 and 99 Durham Street, with the driveway and parking spaces being situated in place of the dwelling at number 103.

This is taken into consideration in the heritage impact statement (HIS) prepared by Andrew Starr of Andrew Starr and Associates Heritage Consultants.

"The preservation of the front of each of the heritage [cottages] means that the new building is partially screened by the surviving fabric," Mr Starr said.

"... The design of the new motel marries well into the streetscape and is neutral in the conservation area."

The HIS also supports the proposed partial demolition of the two heritage cottages.

Both cottages have large additions at the rear which are not sympathetic to their heritage, and it's these additions that are proposed to be demolished.

Parts of the original structures would be restored during the construction of the motel.

The HIS also notes that the cottage at number 101 is "in an advanced state of dilapidation and urgently need restoration of heritage", while number 99 has also "suffered dilapidation".

"The proposed alterations and additions to numbers 99 and 101 Durham Street are considered appropriate because they preserve the street facades and key rooms of the heritage items," Mr Starr said.

The motel's reception area would back onto the Durham Street cottages. The additions proposed would see the cottages linked to become a one-bedroom dwelling, although they would still read as separate from the street.

Mr Starr added that the materials and finishes chosen "are appropriate to the context of the site".

The DA is currently in progress and will be determined by council at a later date.

If the motel is approved, it will become the third accommodation provider on the 900-metre stretch between Bentinck and Stewart streets.

There are also several other accommodation providers in close proximity, including the Alloggio self-contained apartments in Morrisset Street, the Bathurst Heritage Motor Inn in Stewart Street, and The Littomore in Charlotte Street.