THE nation’s oldest drive-in motor lodge is set to be no more after a 105-room, four-storey motel was approved for Lords Place.
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The $13 million development application to demolish the Mid City Motor Lodge faced little opposition, with courthouse staff next door content with the designs provided fencing and landscaping added to Orange Courthouse’s security and building work did not interfere with judicial proceedings.
At Wednesday night’s Orange City Council meeting, court registrar Olivia Lee praised council staff and developers for keeping the courthouse informed and looked forward to further consultation on the plan to manage noise and vibration during construction.
“The wheels of justice still need to turn and we still need to make sure our operations continue, are recorded appropriately and jurors can consider the evidence placed before them during the course of a trial,” she said.
“There may need to be some consultation with us in relation to [landscaping] as the design of the wall joining the two properties has been designed specifically to enhance our security and any placement of trees may create an issue with people being able to climb it – I obviously work in a very different environment to some here and so I understand that is a real possibility.”
Councillor Russell Turner said the motor lodge’s history made it significant, but it had run its course where accommodation standards were concerned.
“I spoke to the developer and he said time and time again he’s had people from Sydney come up for wine festivals, they’re obviously discerning customers and he’s somewhat embarrassed sometimes at the size of the rooms,” he said.
Stephen Nugent said revised designs over time had improved.
“I think in terms of the location, if you’re going to have a big city motel in Orange, that’s a great place to have a motel and I think it will be an improvement to what we have there,” he said.
Cr Nugent asked whether the 4.5 metre height limit exceedance would set a precedent, however development services director David Waddell said there was a test.
“The applicant’s been through the ringer on this one and there’s a compromise because there’s height being allowed to get away from the courtroom,” he said.
“The next development that comes along – same test.”
Mid City Motor Lodge owner Vijay Bohra declined to comment.
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