Eurobodalla Shire Council says the former Batemans Bay Bowling Club site must be used as a site office for the new bridge construction – or the NSW Government will simply acquire it.
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The prospect of the site being leased to Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has upset a Batemans Bay consortium, which last month offered to buy it for the same price the council paid two years ago.
The council announced the $2.7 million purchase on April 29, 2016, hailing it as a chance for a “gateway” development for the shire.
“Some of the opportunities for the site could include a new aquatic centre, an arts cultural cinema building, conference and event space, tourism accommodation, restaurant and cafes, seniors’ living and the integration of existing sporting fields into the future development of the precinct,” then mayor Lindsay Brown said when the purchase was announced.
The RMS environmental impact statement released in November, 2017, earmarked the site as an “ancillary facility for the construction”.
“As well as providing for site offices and amenities, it would also serve for parking and stockpiling of materials and structural elements. Some structures may be removed if they are not suitable for use as site offices and amenities,” the RMS said.
The shire’s Property and Commercial Services Divisional Manager, Andrew Greenway, said RMS had indicated its interest before the EIS was published.
“We had an indication before that they were considering options for their site office, but it was as part of that public exhibition that we were formally notified,” Mr Greenway said.
“We have been in negotiations since then.”
He said the RMS told the council in late 2017 it could compulsorily acquire the site if lease negotiations failed.
“They have notified us of the possibility of compulsory acquisition if we are unable to agree on these terms,” he said.
However, Mr Greenway was confident negotiations would be “concluded in the next couple of months” and the site could be leased by the start of the next financial year, July 1, 2018.
Mr Greenway said the site would be used for the length of the bridge project.
The RMS expects to start building in early 2019 and finish by mid-2021. The demolition of the old bridge would then be commenced.
Mr Greenway said the RMS was “mindful of the fact that it is a high profile site in town and the visual amenity is important going forward”.
In February, a private consortium emailed a bid to all councillors to purchase the site for $2.7 million, plus GST.
Spokesman Mathew Hatcher said the group of Batemans Bay business owners wanted to create a “regional creative hub” on the site – at no cost to the council.
He said hub would include young IT entrepreneurs, food producers, arts and culture, a museum and bowling.
“We were going to put in an accelerator and incubator program to try to entice youth … and give them an outlet to stay here and try to find work locally,” Mr Hatcher said.
“We offered them full purchase price that the council paid for the site - $2.7 m plus GST and we also guaranteed there would be no ongoing costs to the council; it would be a private venture.
“We would have it open by Christmas.”
Mr Hatcher said the group had not received a written response, but were initially told any project on the site would have to go out to public tender and there were “probity” issues in accepting the group’s offer.
The group knew of the RMS negotiations but was unaware until Wednesday, March 7, that the RMS might compulsorily acquire the site if the council refused.
“That has never been said to us until last night,” Mr Hatcher said on Thursday, March 8.
In a statement on Thursday, March 8, the council said it would call for expressions of interest to develop the site after the bridge was completed.
“After taking on board community input, the council identified a number of preferred development outcomes for the site, including a conference and events space, tourist accommodation, residential accommodation, restaurants and cafes,” the spokesperson said.
“We plan to go to the private sector and broader community this year to identify potential interested parties to deliver these or other compatible uses.
“This process will ensure the best possible outcome is achieved for the community.”
The council said using the former bowling club as a site office was “no impediment to this”
“The timing works well and will generate an income from the site,” the spokesperson said.
“It is also in the council’s interests to support the NSW Government while they construct this essential infrastructure for our region.
“While the site is being used by RMS to support construction of the bridge, the council can undertake the necessary process to identify the successful party, who will then have time to finalise detailed design, obtain necessary development consent, construction approvals, appoint builders and be ready to start the project when it is vacated by RMS.”