Wagga CBD: Councillors to vote on hotel plan to revitalise vacant land on Baylis and Edward streets
A plan for a multimillion-dollar boutique hotel set to transform a site dubbed “an eyesore” for years has been recommended for councillors’ approval.
The Wagga News
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Wagga councillors will soon decide on the fate of a grand plan to transform a prominent site into a $15.5 million boutique hotel aiming to revitalise a gateway into the city.
The proposal includes a six-storey building with 104 hotel rooms and 10 commercial spaces at 7-9 Baylis Street, a site considered an eyesore.
The building would have one commercial ground floor, one carparking floor and four hotel-room floors. There will be carparking for 70 vehicles.
The long-vacant site has been earmarked for a hotel since mid-2019 when Design Workshop Australia lodged its plans with council.
The proposal, which council operations recommend to be approved, was revised in January and went on public exhibition in February.
Next Tuesday at their ordinary meeting, councillors will vote on the application.
Wagga Mayor Greg Conkey said that at this stage, he would be supporting the recommendation.
“There’s probably a couple of things to talk about, but generally overall, it’s a good move,” Cr Conkey said.
“Last October, I think the occupancy rate (of accommodation) was extremely high.”
With a 148-room Holiday Inn set to open across the road in early 2021, representing a $37 million investment in Wagga, and a 42-room hotel proposal on Forsyth Street gaining approval last year, Cr Conkey said these three major applications instilled confidence in the local economy.
“It reinforces the confidence people have in this economy and the future of the city,” he said.
“It is a site that has been an eyesore for a long, long time. With this building and the Holiday Inn, it’s going to revitalise that area of city, which is good.
“From what I’ve seen of the concepts, it looks like a well designed building.”
Cr Conkey said the proposal had issues with parking but said he believed councillors and the applicant can address that moving forward.
Similarly, Cr Vanessa Kennan said she believed the majority would like to see the site revitalised.
“Given its prominence, straight across from the railway station and that it’s a gateway into the CBD, something being proposed there is a positive,” Cr Keenan said.
“The number of development applications for accommodation in the CBD area really gives us a clear indication that there’s a lot of positive interest in Wagga and in the growth here.”
Cr Keenan also said development applications progressing forward in the context of the coronavirus pandemic showed confidence in the city.
The application document states the development would provide for “the desired future character of the streetscape of the commercial core of Wagga Wagga”.
Design Workshop Australia’s director Robert Gizzi previously said the project would strengthen the main intersection into Wagga as the building would be visible from all directions.
“It’d provide a diverse level of accommodation for the area and activate the corner of a principal intersection in Wagga,” he said.
“The building would add a high architectural standard for the area.”
In recommending that councillors approve the application, senior town planner Sam Robins said the main issues related to impact on adjoining properties, land contamination, impact on traffic and compliance with the city’s development control plan.