A developer upset at negative feedback from Orange City Council over his plans to build a boarding house in Glenroi says he will take the matter to the Land and Environment Court.
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Sydney-based Rob Hart, director of Pinchgut Pty Ltd, said the council had sent him a list of objections and stated they could not approve his development application in its present form.
Mr Hart said he had reduced the number of rooms at the Nyrang Road site from eight to six but it was still being knocked back.
"I would say Orange council has been particularly difficult," he said. "I've been very reasonable, it's frustrating.
It will cost me $40-50,000. My estimate is the council will spend twice that.
- Rob Hart, developer
"Orange is going gang-busters, Orange has a great need for boarding houses."
Mr Hart said going to the LEC would be an expensive exercise for himself, the council and Orange ratepayers. "We will be lodging an appeal in the Land and Environment Court next week for council's deemed refusal of our application for a boarding house," he said.
"It will cost me $40-50,000. My estimate is the council will spend twice that.
"The ratepayers should know they are in a fight."
Mr Hart said he had the right to appeal to the LEC as the council had taken more than 40 days to assess the application.
Council spokesman Nick Redmond said the council was still in discussion with the developer.
"In the case of 14 Nyrang Road, council has had discussions with the developer based on the initial proposal put to staff," he said.
"Those discussions included topics such as building design, parking, landscaping, the setback and how waste and stormwater would be managed. Those discussions are continuing."
Mr Hart said he was also in the process of taking the Central Coast Council to the LEC, over its refusal of a boarding house in Ourimbah.
He said the proposed accommodation was not like "old-school boarding houses" and instead were modern facilities aimed at visiting workers, including medical staff, who needed short-term accommodation for at least three months.
Mr Hart said tenants would pay market rent which he believed would be about $200-$220 a week.
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