A PROPOSAL described as "Bathurst's number one infrastructure project" is $15 million closer.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But it will be dependent on the Coalition being returned in the federal election.
Calare MP Andrew Gee was at the council car park behind the Bathurst RSL Club on Thursday to make a funding commitment for a proposed multi-storey car park on the site.
"When mayor Robert Taylor took the reins at Bathurst Regional Council, I went and had a meeting with him, and also [chief executive] Peter Sargent from the [Bathurst RSL] Club, and mayor Robert told me that this was Bathurst's number one infrastructure project, their top priority," Mr Gee said.
The Nationals' Mr Gee said the $15 million was "locked in", but it will be dependent on the election.
Bathurst RSL Club and the BMIC group have each committed $4.2 million to the car park and council is looking to fund the remainder.
Mr Gee estimates the car park will cost around $28 million, with a further $2.5 million needed to upgrade the traffic network on Howick and Rankin streets.
READ ALSO:
"At the moment, this car park holds just over 300 cars and it is basically at capacity every day, so if we are going to make this medical centre happen, we need more parking here in the CBD," he said.
"This $15 million commitment by the Australian government is going to help build that five-storey, multi-level car park, which will be free to the public and it will provide over 900 car parking spaces."
He said it would help "revitalise and turbocharge investment and activity in the CBD".
Cr Taylor, a strong supporter of the medical centre proposal during his campaign for council last year, said the new car park would "future-proof" Bathurst.
Mr Sargent, meanwhile, emphasised the benefits to the city overall.
"It will give people who are working in the city a place to park, give people who want to go to the club a place to park and give people who want to access those critical medical services a place to park," he said.
IN OTHER NEWS AROUND BATHURST:
Mr Gee was questioned, at his press conference on Thursday morning, about the car parks the Federal Government had promised to build in the lead-up to the 2019 federal election but which had not yet been completed.
He pointed to his track record of keeping his election commitments in Calare.
Solar and 915 spaces: more details known
SOLAR panels are planned for a proposed multi-storey car park in the Bathurst CBD.
Bathurst Regional Council environmental, planning and building services director Neil Southorn gave an update on the proposed car park project during Thursday's funding announcement by Calare MP Andrew Gee.
He said the new car park, with ground level and "four constructed decks", would accommodate 915 car parking spaces.
"On the top of that, it is proposed to be a shade structure which will incorporate solar panels to try to improve the sustainability of the project," Mr Southorn said.
"The applicants have commenced the approval process for that.
"There is a little bit of way to go yet, but they have submitted a planning proposal.
"The building will be taller than the 12 metres currently in the Bathurst LEP [Local Environmental Plan], so there is a bit of an administrative process to go through to kickstart that approval.
"Once that first step is reached, there will be a development application lodged and then [it will be] open for public consultation to scrutinise the detail of the proposal."
The car park's height well above the current limit set in the Bathurst LEP has been a source of controversy when it comes to the project, as has the proposal that public funds be put towards it.
Because it is deemed a state significant project, it will not be council that makes a decision on whether it goes ahead, but the NSW Government.
