A prominent local property developer has launched a new community organisation in a bid to put more pressure on council to take long-term planning for the Bathurst CBD seriously.
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Tremain's Mill owner Stephen Birrell officially launched the Future Bathurst organisation last Tuesday, which he says was born out of frustration with council's apparent inability to appreciate the opportunities that could come from long-term planning.
"What concerns me greatly is the fact we've got this beautiful heritage city, and all council seem to care about is more parking spaces; more vision is needed," Mr Birrell said.
"Furthermore, we need a council that will act responsibly and respectfully to each other, but the 'five councillors' who are running this council are completely ignoring community concerns."
Council prepared a response to Allen Jack + Cottier Architects' draft CBD master plan, titled Futureproofing Our CBD, back in April, rejecting on-road cycling routes in Keppel and William streets and the conversion of six mid-block pedestrian refuges in the CBD to "formalised pedestrian crossings."
The same response expressed support for 165 new car spaces at Carrington Park and a multi-storey public car park behind the Bathurst RSL Club, which council has since given 'in principle' support for.
But Mr Birrell, who has significant future-focused projects in the works at Tremain's Mill, has criticised council for being "stuck in the 1960s".
"Long-term planning for the CBD's protection and survival is just not there," he said.
"Bathurst's history and heritage is something we need to capitalise on and we need a council that sees the potential of what could be something truly beautiful - similar to what many European cities have done to breathe life back into their CBD's.
"However, this can only happen if there are plans to provide satellite shopping areas that are designed to provide easy access, plenty of parking and good public transport-it needs to be a well thought out, coordinated approach."
In light of allegations that Bathurst mayor Bobby Bourke played a role in an attempt to blackmail councillor Jacqui Rudge to resign from council, Mr Birrell joined the chorus of community members calling for the mayor to stand down, which he did on Friday.
In a statement to the media on Friday afternoon, Cr Bourke said allegations against him of bullying and threatening are "wholly denied".
He also said he would remain as a councillor.
Mr Birrell believes Future Bathurst will garner support from other Bathurst organisations that are equally frustrated with the current group of councillors that control the chamber.
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"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
