The new owners of a city motel started exterior upgrade work following heavy rains without approval from Wollongong City Council.
It has now lodged a development application in the hopes the council will retrospectively approve the work done so far - and allow the remaining work to take place.
In February this year, the new owner purchased the Surfside Motel on the corner of Harbour and Crown streets.
"The site was purchased with the initial intention of refurbishing the aged building and rooms to create a more vibrant and contemporary motel premises for tourists and visitors to Wollongong," the application's statement of environmental effects said.
This upgrade was initially limited to internal work and a "facade refresh", however heavy rains this year uncovered a more serious problem.
"It was found that the building was subject to some major waterproofing issues - particularly due to the dilapidated roof structure and external cladding to the building," the statement of environmental effects said.
"Whilst a modest contemporising refurbishment was intended by the new owners, the extent of rectification works required to resolve these waterproofing issues was not initially envisaged and the scope of workers for the builder was subsequently expanded."
The owners initially believed this work would be considered maintenance or an exempt development, until council staff informed them otherwise.
So a development application has been lodged to both cover the work already started and what still needs to occur to fix the waterproofing issues.
That would include work on the roof while retaining the roof structure itself and replacing cladding on the western side - where the old cladding has already been removed.
Partially constructed planter boxes along the Harbour Street side are also hoped to be retained.
The staircase and landing on the southern side is slated for demolition.
"Given the merit of the design and the absence of any significant adverse environmental impacts or planning issues, the development application is considered to be in the public's interest and worthy of council's support," the application stated.
The development application is on public exhibition until October 25.
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
