Wentworthville hotel, cafe planned for Great Western Highway

New developments often eliminate historic treasures but a proposal for a hotel with a rooftop bar will bring a neighbouring Victorian cottage back to life in Sydney’s west.

A hotel could spring up on the Great Western Highway at South Wentworthville.

Plans to build a hotel at South Wentworthville and restore heritage cottage The Wattles are advancing.

A six-storey accommodation facility is earmarked for the Great Western Highway site.

Cumberland Council has endorsed NRB Property Group’s plans to rezone the land to enable the construction of a 76-room hotel or motel up to six storeys (27m), including a rooftop restaurant and bar, swimming pool, gymnasium, conference room, health and wellbeing centre, and basement carpark.

Developers also want to convert The Wattles into a restaurant or cafe for those wanting to have a coffee in a state heritage-listed abode built between 1851 and 1875.

Originally known as Willow Cottage, The Wattles was the home of one of Cumberland’s most prominent pioneer settlers and developers, William Fullagar, a son of convicts who became a publican and established the Star Inn at the corner of Ettalong and Western roads (now the Great Western Highway).

His family’s estate, Essington House, is now the site of Essington Christian Academy at Bridge Rd, Westmead.

The Wattles heritage house could become a cafe.

The Wattles retains rare aesthetic significance as a “moderately intact” Victorian residence.

The project, to occupy 3040sq m, has been a long time coming following the lodgement of initial plans in 2010.

The council endorsed it on Wednesday, allowing it to proceed to gateway determination with the Planning Department, which will ultimately determine the proposal.

Councillor Glenn Elmore said the accommodation would be the only feasible use of the underused site, which was near schools, Western Sydney University campus and Westmead Hospital.

Some of The Wattles is deteriorated but is considered moderately intact.

“I don’t really like supporting rezonings but at this situation I think it’s about the only alternative that we have, and if this doesn’t happen, the site will probably stay like it is for another 10, 20, 50 years,’’ he said.

Cr Michael Zaiter welcomed the commercial benefits it would spawn.

“It is an opportunity for this property to be redeveloped potentially to provide some jobs for the local area,’’ he said.

“A hotel of this size will provide a number of jobs for anyone who lives locally or close by.’’

However, Transport for NSW has raised concerns about car safety and traffic volumes for westbound motorists travelling along the highway and T-way.

The council is still negotiating with the applicant to address issues TfNSW raised in June, including the preferred option for drivers to access a driveway on the site’s western edge to avoid queuing on the highway or bus lane.

The council requires 106 parking spaces but only 85 are proposed.

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