A planned major makeover of Kiama’s historic Grand Hotel has been refused by Kiama council.
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On Tuesday, Kiama councillors endorsed council staff’s decision to refuse the development application.
A DA was submitted last year for the proposal, which has an estimated cost of $7,558,000.
The proposal involves the demolition of the existing guest house building and also the construction of a four-storey building containing guest accommodation and two levels of basement parking at 31 Bong Bong Street, as well as additions and refurbishment of the existing Grand Hotel, including the addition of a fourth storey at 49 Manning Street.
According to council’s report, reasons for refusal included the proposal breaching height limit; negatively affecting and not conserving the heritage significance of the Grand; and not providing sufficient car parking spaces.
Kiama Mayor Mark Honey said “there were just too many issues” regarding the proposal, but “council’s enthusiastic about that site being redeveloped, but within the parameters that are laid down by the law”.
Meanwhile, proceedings have begun in the NSW Land and Environment Court.
“Council requested further information from the applicant on January 17, 2017 as the submitted plans presented several areas of non-compliance,” council’s report said. “Council requested that the above matters be addressed within 21 days. On February 7, 2017 the applicant contacted council requesting an extension of two weeks to provide the requested information.
“Council granted this extension of time. Following this correspondence, council officers made numerous attempts to contact the applicant seeking an update on the requested information.
“On March 15 council was notified that the applicant had assumed that the DA had been refused and in accordance with… the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 commenced proceedings in the NSW Land and Environment Court.”
The owners of the Grand, the Salim Group, were contacted for comment.