Tempers flare over ongoing neglect

The lifeline given to the hotel recently has now been put on hold while potential occupants look elsewhere.

An application had been lodged with council to use one of the street level shops in the building for a professional consulting office.

The applicant has now asked council to defer the assessment while they consider another space within the Yass CBD.

Several councillors were unhappy with this after hearing at the previous meeting the dilapidated hotel could be getting new tenants.

Outgoing councillor Bill Luchetti was frustrated at the lack of action.

“It’s a bloody eyesore and we should be doing something,” he said.

The former senior council staff member said council should be talking to the owners and encouraging them to revive the run-down building.

Council staff said the owner had been contacted by mail in the past but they hadn’t received a response.

Earlier this year council looked at whether it could issue a demolition order for the premises.

But a report later brought to council said the building could only be demolished if it was unlawful or unsafe.

“In this instance, the building is definitely not unlawful and a number of assessments have been undertaken to ascertain its structural integrity,” the report said.

“Although the building is considered unsightly… there are no grounds for council to issue a demolition order to the building owner.”

Cr David Needham said in May he did not want to rule out demolition altogether, as he was worried the building would continue to deteriorate.

At the latest meeting he said councillors had decided to stop moving forward with the demolition order because there was a chance someone would occupy the building.

“It’s time for the owner to front up to council and let us know what his plans are,” Cr Needham said.

Cr Luchetti moved a motion to invite the owner to address council at the next meeting regarding his plans for the building’s future.

The motion was adopted unanimously.

Meanwhile, the development application for the change of use is on hold and the building remains unoccupied.