BATHURST RSL Club says it would be open to discussing future development proposals for the old Clancy Motors site in Howick Street, but parking will always be at the forefront of negotiations.
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It follows the news that the group behind a proposed multi-storey integrated medical centre at the former Clancy site will not be lodging a development application "in the foreseeable future".
The club says it is disappointed that the medical centre now seems unlikely to go ahead and has thanked all of those involved for their time and work, as well as acknowledging the "massive increases in construction costs" in the years since the development was proposed.
But club chief executive Peter Sargent says "we remain convinced of the amazing development opportunities that this site presents".
"We think that there'll be no shortage of options for the site," he said.
"But we'll be looking toward maximising the benefit to the CBD and we will also have a key focus on parking."
Howick Street site history
- April 2016: Clancy Motors moves from Howick Street to new site on Sydney Road, Kelso.
- August 2016: Late property developer Bruce Bolam, who owns the former Clancy site, says it could be used for a large retail outlet or for inner-city apartments.
- August 2016: Bathurst Regional Council confirms interest in buying the former Clancy site.
- October 2019: Bathurst RSL Club negotiates an option to buy the site, giving the club the opportunity to pay off the CityFit building first.
- December 2020: Plans announced for a potential integrated medical centre on the site and multi-storey car park next door.
Bathurst RSL Club revealed back in late 2020 that it was in negotiations with a development consortium for the construction of a medical facility and an associated multi-level car park on the existing council-owned car park behind the club.
At the time, the Clancy site was owned by Bolam Property Investments, but Mr Sargent said ownership of the land was set to move to the club in May 2021 "under an option deed agreement reached between the club and Bolam Property Investments in October 2019".
This week, Bathurst Regional Council said council and the Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre (BIMC) group had been unable to reach an agreement on the provision of car parking spaces and their cost.
Mayor Jess Jennings said the final offer was rejected due to the increased financial cost implications to ratepayers, along with inadequate parking spaces for the Bathurst community.
A subsequent statement on behalf of the BIMC group said the group would not be lodging a development application for the project "in the foreseeable future", which would appear to be the end of the project.
Asked about the ownership of the Clancy site as it now stands, Mr Sargent said the Bathurst RSL Club "will have control of the site".
"We will be refocusing our efforts on how to best improve the vibrancy of the CBD, as well as providing adequate parking for the community and for our members," he said.
Site's future?
PART of the former Clancy Motors site was transformed into a public car park back in 2019 during the disruption caused by the refurbishment of the intersection of Howick and George streets.
Mr Sargent said that decision was made at the time by the site's owner, Bolam Property Investments, and the arrangement has remained in place ever since.
"We will continue to provide parking for the foreseeable future," he said of the site now that the integrated medical centre plans appear unlikely to go ahead.
"This site [the former Clancy Motors] alleviates pressure on that car park [the council-owned car park behind the club].
"And that was something that we were keen to preserve the whole way through the arrangement [with the proposed integrated medical centre], which it has been."
Mr Sargent said "no doors have been closed" in terms of a future potential development.
"But the key underpinning point is we've got to have parking for our club," he said.
"That will be our focus in any discussions."
The club is very aware, he said, that it backs on to a car park "that we don't control or own".
'Despite the best of intentions'
IN terms of the proposed integrated medical centre, Mr Sargent said the club had "supported this development as an excellent opportunity for the old Clancy's site since initial discussions commenced with the developer more than four years ago".
"During the intervening period, we have seen massive increases in constructions costs, which apart from the obvious impact on costs associated with building the BIMC, also significantly reduced the number of car spaces that could be realised in the proposed multi-storey car park, given the funding commitments provided by the respective parties," he said.
"Unfortunately, despite the best of intentions, it seems that there is a gap between the level of funding available and the level of funding required to ensure that the project has enough parking to support the development, as well as continuing to provide adequate parking for our members and the Bathurst community generally."
Bathurst RSL Club president Ian Miller said the club would "like to thank the BIMC developer Frank O'Halloran for the time, energy and significant investment he has put into the project and for his belief in Bathurst; Zauner Constructions for the work they have done in getting the planning to this point; and Bathurst Regional Council for working with us all to try and find a solution".
"Although we are disappointed with the outcome and would love to have seen the BIMC come to fruition, we will now re-focus our efforts on continuing to improve the Bathurst CBD for the benefit of our members and our community," he said.
