BRISTOL Hotel co-owner Peter Mitchell was visibly angered as Hobsons Bay Council last week refused his fourth application for a four-storey, 40-dwelling apartment block on the historic Williamstown site.
“We’re out of Williamstown,” he told the Weekly. “There’ll be new owners.”
Relieved but battle-weary residents said they had “heard it all before”.
The nail in the coffin may have come when the council’s special planning committee asked Mr Mitchell’s representative, Anthony Johnson, what had been his brief for the Ferguson Street pub site.
“The brief was to provide a design which, from the financial perspective, stacked up,” Mr Johnson replied.
Quizzed on the bulk and scale of the development, Mr Johnson responded: “Scale and bulk is always in the eye of the beholder.”
Answering residents’ concerns about overshadowing — with nearest homeowner Zofia Bucek saying her heritage home would be devoid of sunlight and rendered unliveable — Mr Johnson replied: “It’s unreasonable to expect new development not to overshadow a property.”
During the meeting, the committee heard that garbage bins would be collected in stages by a private contractor after a “motorised tug” transported the bins from the basement to the street. Whether it was Ferguson or Station street had not yet been decided.
The panel heard that a basement car park would provide parking for 43 cars, including 24 cars to be contained within 12 car stackers.
Cr Peter Hemphill, asked why the applicant’s traffic consultants had undertaken their assessment during school holidays.
“I just find it quite extraordinary,” Cr Hemphill said. “Your consultant leaves a lot to be desired.”
After a lengthy hearing and deliberation, the council refused to grant a permit, stating that the plans were contrary to orderly and proper planning of the area.
Publican Tony ‘Bear’ Verlaan confirmed to the Weekly that the Bristol would likely be sold.
“I think it’s going to be sold very shortly,” he said after the council’s decision. “You can’t keep going to the well to support this council.
“This is [our] fourth go at it and the council doesn’t know what they want.”
He said objectors would likely be lumped with a new owner who had higher ambitions.
