Patonga Store application refused

Further to my letter of July 13 concerning the demolition of the much loved Patonga General Store, Gosford Council officers have now refused an application by Matthew Wales and Associates on behalf of the developers of the proposed Patonga Hotel (which is to occupy the site) to demolish those heritage listed items remaining on the land.

The section 96(2) application sought permission to "Demolish the freestanding building elements (heritage listed items) salvage the materials to reinstate the original doorway and window, raise the general store floor level and rebuild the old general store on land zoned residential 2(a) at No. 8 Patonga Dr, Patonga."

The application was refused because: "approval to the s96(2) application would void the original consent; modification of the consent by demolition of a heritage item would create a development which would not be the same development as originally approved and approval to the proposal would create an undesirable precedent and substantially devalue the heritage provisions of the Gosford Planning Ordinance".

As the development of the "hotel" has now been dragging on since 1997 (almost eight years), many Patonga residents are beginning to wonder if they will ever see the project completed.

Vic Jefferies, Patonga