The land causing the trouble for the new hotel
GOVERNMENT red tape has delayed progress on the Lithgow Workmens Club bid to develop a motel adjacent to the club premises in Tank Street.
The club announced its plans for Lithgow’s newest motel several months ago on land at the northern end of the club.
Two buildings were purchased and demolished to make way for the development and a favorable response was received to the application to Lithgow Council.
But a stumbling block has been the need to transfer a small portion of what was believed to be council-owned land in the northern car park to club ownership.
The land in question is small unused lane.
In the club’s annual report the general manager Michael Alexander said the council had ‘most graciously’ given consent for the transfer of the land.
But subsequent search revealed that the land in question was actually still recorded in the name of a property developer dating back to last century, well before the current club premises were constructed.
Mr Alexander said the club had engaged a solicitor ‘to sort out the mess’ and was hopeful that in the near future the land will be transferred to council under the Roads Act.
“Once in the council’s name the transfer to the club should be relatively painless,” he said.
Mr Alexander said the members should be aware that council has ‘bent over backwards to help us’ and the club was grateful for that support.
“But it’s the State Government that appears to be dragging the chain,” he said.
Mr Alexander said that once the laneway issue has been sorted out the architects will be able to complete the design of the new premises and present a formal DA to council.
Once the DA is approved the project can proceed to tender to determine the builder and final costings.