Council candidates seek to clarify Bathurst Heritage Matters advertisement

The heritage group took out an advertisement in last Thursday's Western Advocate nominating eight candidates they believed would "work and vote to better protect, enhance and promote Bathurst's heritage".

The advertisement also listed five action points that BHM said had the candidates' support, including advocating for for council funding for major heritage projects and preserving the integrity of CBD landscapes.

But it was BHM's insistence that the candidates would "keep the existing CBD height limits and associated policy approaches" that raised many eyebrows in town and prompted candidates Nick Packham, Ben Fry and Marg Hogan to all contact the Western Advocate wanting to clarify their positions, particularly in relation to the proposed $70 million Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre to be built on Howick Street.

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To go ahead on the proposed site the BIMC would require an exemption to the current CBD height limit of 12 metres, with plans for the medical centre proposing a 29-metre building.

Mr Packham, Mr Fry and Ms Hogan all said they had been approached by Bathurst Heritage Matters in July about their proposed support and all three say they had made it clear they were backing the BIMC going ahead on the old Clancy Motors site and would support a height limit exemption to make it happen.

"This is the only site the developer is interested in ... so I want to be very clear that I'm 100 per cent in favour of the medical centre going on the proposed site with the proposed plan," Mr Packham said.

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Mr Fry said the advertisement had created confusion regarding his views on height limits.

"Heritage is a major asset ... but sometimes you've got to bend these rules for major developments," he said.

Ms Hogan believed the phrase "and associated policy approaches", as written in the advertisement, was designed to allow room for exemptions but agreed it could have been expressed more clearly.

"From the beginning, [my] team has been supportive of the Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre and we wanted to be sure that heritage limits would not prevent the proposal from proceeding," Ms Hogan said.

All three candidates who spoke to the Western Advocate rejected suggestions they had received money for their campaigns from heritage supporters, or heritage groups, in town.

BATHURST Heritage Matters will consider redrafting a newspaper advertisement that highlights the Bathurst Regional Council candidates they believe will best promote and support the city's heritage.

Spokesman Sandy Bathgate said all eight candidates listed in the advertisement last Thursday were aware of the wording to be used and had signed off to show they were happy with it.

He said state legislation required that local planning instruments must allow for exemptions and he was confident the proposed Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre would be considered for just such an exemption.

He said the phrase "and associated policy approaches", as used in the advertisement, was intended to acknowledge that exemptions could be allowed but was willing to rethink the wording.

"In relation to the BIMC there are different views and we have to accommodate those," he said.

"The candidates [in the advertisement] are all good people and are trying to make a difference."

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