Plans to save old pub axed
The developer who had been planning to rejuvenate the landmark Mentone Hotel, popularly known as the Edgy, has decided not to go ahead with it after he ran into a brick wall with the local council.
Huggins had bought the heritage-protected pub in 2015.
He was planning to give it a new lease on life by adding a public, hospitality element within the landmark hotel, building a four-storey, 45-apartment block in the car park and 12 two-three storey townhouses with basement parking.
But Kinsgston Council has refused to surpass its longstanding, two-storey height limit along Beach Rd.
With the ‘Save the Edgy’ group campaigning for a significant public space to be retained within the hotel, Mr Huggins’ proposal attracted hundreds of submissions to the council.
The proposal was also criticised by the member for Isaacs Mark Dreyfus who said Huggins’ plans for a four-storey development could set a “dangerous precedent for the overdevelopment of other properties along Beach Road”.
Kingston deputy mayor Rosemary West said the makeover would set a precedent for approving high-rise developments and suggested the council encourage Mr Huggins to “maintain the traditional use of the building as a hotel”. Providing adequate space for a cafe/restaurant/bar would be a workable alternative.
But Mr Huggins has pulled the pin.
“We’ve had a good listen, reflected back and we’ve decided not to waste any more time,” Mr Huggins told the Herald Sun
“I’ve spent half of my married life on a project at Beach Rd — it’s too long.
“We’ll run with a compliant scheme of unbelievable town homes that’ll be better than anything you’ve seen in Australia.
“But there’ll be no food and beverage inside the hotel, whatsoever.”
Mr Huggins was not interested in reworking his plans to keep the Edgy there and make the council happy.
“Whether we want to run a brothel, a cafe or a nightclub or nothing at all is at my discretion, not council’s,” Mr Huggins said.
“The hotel went broke three times in 20 years — Huggins is not going to make it a fourth.”
by Leon Gettler, March 30th 2017
