A development application for a prominent commercial site in the main street of Bellingen has been stirring up debate in the town.
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The proposal for 84-90 Hyde St (aka Carl Foster’s garage) involves a row of retail shops at ground level, 15 apartments above, and an underground car park.
Formerly owned by Carl Foster and currently housing Amelia Franklin’s cafe, it was a petrol station and mechanics workshop from 1968 to 2015.
Long before that it was the location of Bellingen’s first hotel, a two-storey gable roofed weatherboard building called Black’s Boat Harbour Hotel, rebuilt in 1895 as the Exchange Hotel.
The hotel and associated buildings were demolished in 1966 to make way for the service station.
No remnants from its time as a hotel remain, but the site still bears a heavy visual stamp from its Carl Foster era, having received only a cursory makeover pending the $8.9 million redevelopment now proposed by owner Avi Shaul, a local businessman who also owns the iconic Hammond & Wheatley and Bellingen Green Grocers buildings.
A Statement of Environmental Effects drawn up by development consultants GeoLINK for the DA lists “remediation of contaminated land”, including removal of the petrol tanks, as an initial step.
It states that the proposal will “revitalise a run-down site and degraded pocket in the streetscape” but Ziggy Koenigseder, who lives above the Commonwealth Bank building next door, is not so sure.
She has lodged an objection to the DA, citing the noise and disruption the redevelopment will bring and declaring the proposal “totally out of character with the historic streetscape of Hyde Street and the existing heritage buildings which give Bellingen such iconic charm”.
However, other residents and business owners have commended the proposal.
In letters to the Courier-Sun, Phyllis Codd described the proposal as “most pleasing”, while Sweet Bellingen proprietors Bobbi and Nigel Downey said it represented “a significant and exciting point in the growth of our town”.
On Facebook, Kate Williams commented: “If this town is to have a viable future, residents need to accept and embrace change and growth … Also, it wouldn't be hard to create something more aesthetically pleasing than the existing structure.”
The GeoLINK document says the proposal was “thoughtfully and diligently designed” and underwent significant modification in response to concerns raised by council and council’s heritage advisor.
Major changes included a lower two-storey frontage to the street with three storeys facing Halpins Lane, incorporation of awnings/verandahs, reduction of the number of apartments to allow for a landscaped courtyard, and use of materials and finishes that are “sympathetic to the local heritage character … yet present an appealing contemporary interpretation”.
Other noteworthy aspects of the proposal include a large capacity solar system (almost 70kWh) on the roof and electric vehicle charging stations.
Residents and shop staff will have 20 parking spaces in the basement and retail customers will have 16.
There will also be four new public parking spaces on Hyde St and a public-access electric car charging point.
As part of a Voluntary Planning Agreement, the developer will also fund 36 formal on-street parking spaces on Oak St between William St and South St.
This will be an extension southwards of the rear-to-kerb 90-degree parking spaces already in place at the top end of Oak St.
Given the capital investment of the proposed development, it will be determined by the Northern Joint Regional Planning Panel.
Estimated completion time for the project, if approved, is 12-18 months.