Celebrity chef Matt Moran moves one step closer to Rockley Pub renovation
Chef Matt Moran is about to learn if his plans to renovate the Rockley Pub will be approved, with the development application (DA) now on the agenda for Wednesday morning’s Bathurst Regional Council's meeting.
The DA proposes to reconfigure the internal floor layout of the existing bar, kitchen and dining areas on the ground floor, as well as the internal floor layout of the existing accommodation.
They are also looking at reducing the number of hotel rooms from 12 to nine.
An office and games room would replace the garage and bathrooms would replace the laundry.
The facades facing Hill and Budden streets will not undergo any change, and new doors and openings will be consistent with the existing building.
Recommendation for approval has been given by the director of Environmental, Planning and Building Services, Neil Southorn, who recommends council grant consent along with a raft of conditions that must be met.
His report mentions that no off-street parking is proposed to be provided.
Should council accept Southorn’s recommendations, one condition will be to provide an
accessible parking space on Hill St and a minimum of four parking spaces on site for staff.
However, "additional car parking is not required".
"To a certain extent these impacts [on parking] are the result of the foreshadowed success of the business and are outside the scope of the planning system to address," Southorn said.
"In this case council will need to be reactive to circumstances surrounding these issues as they arise."
Three submissions were received during the public exhibition period.
While concerns over noise, traffic and safety, parking, the needs of Steven's Park as a result of the development, wastewater, water supply, and the impact on future development were raised, each of the concerns were addressed by the applicant of the DA and council staff of the report.
Irit Jackson, 14th February 2022
