Rooming house fears over pokies venue accommodation

A Preston pub owner’s plans to add backpacker accommodation to his popular High St pokies venue have been knocked back by Darebin Council, who argued the risk of it becoming a seedy rooming house was too great.

Plans for a Preston backpackers were denied after questions about who would stay there. Picture: generic

A proposal to add backpacker accommodation to the Preston Hotel has been rejected over fears it may turn into a rooming house.

At an August 19 Darebin Council planning meeting, hotel owners were seeking a permit to add 32 beds across eight rooms at the pokies venue, in a bid to diversify the hotel’s income streams.

Owner Ben Nile said they had owned the hotel for 18 months and made considerable efforts to improve the pub and move it away from a reliance on poker machines, including creating a sports bar and reopening the kitchen service.

There were 26 objections received against the application, raising concerns of opportunistic crime and reduced amenity of the area.

The Preston Hotel reopened its kitchen last year. Picture: David Crosling

Objectors also questioned the likelihood of the space being used as a backpackers given Preston’s distance from the CBD and lack of attractions.

Objector Ian MacDonald said he found it hard to believe it would be a successful hotel given the next closest backpackers was in Collingwood.

“I just can’t see how you could attract backpackers to what’s essentially a quiet part of Preston High St,” he said.

“It’s mostly motor dealerships.

“You have to ask yourself, what sort of residents would want to stay in that side of Preston High St?”

Darebin councillor Trent McCarthy said the proposal was not consistent with the character of the neighbourhood and did not fit with the council’s strict gaming policy.

“I have serious doubts about this proposal, not only about the viability of the proposal but also about the reality of the proposal in terms of providing backpacker accommodation,” he said.

“I think it’s far more likely this will turn out to be a rooming house proposal or some variation.”

Mr Nile said he and his staff were prepared to make every effort to accommodate neighbours’ concerns, including further security and improved lines of communication.

We are pretty proud of our Pub, we hope you are too!

Posted by The Preston Hotel on Tuesday, 18 December 2018

“We don’t want a rooming house at all,” he said.

“They’re catastrophic to bring to an area and it’s the last thing you want to combine with a gaming venue for goodness sake.”

Mr Nile said the hotel had hired a manager who spoke five languages and would live on site, and planned to offer a courtesy bus to Brunswick for travellers.

At the same meeting the council approved a permit for the development of six dwellings above and behind a milk bar at 295-297 Gilbert Rd, Preston.

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The permit was originally deferred after councillors raised concerns about rooms being labelled as “retreats” being used as bedrooms.

This was solved after clarification an adjacent room would be a laundry and not an ensuite-like bathroom.

Councillors deferred their decision on a permit for the development of five double-storey dwellings at 37 Storey Rd, Reservoir.

Objectors raised a number of concerns, including the negative impact on the livelihood of a family with specific health needs.

The application will return to the planning committee after a facilitated meeting between objectors and developers.

@richardapearce