The fencing went up around the former Cessnock City Bowling Club site on Aberdare Road almost a year ago, and since that time there has been much speculation about what is to occur with the land.
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Cessnock and Kurri KFC franchisees Shayne Herring and Julie Kay have revealed that they have lodged an application with the council to redevelop the site.
“We have been having some issues with our site on Wollombi Road in town now for some time so we have been looking at other options,” Mr. Herring said.
“The former bowling club site came up and we saw it as a perfect opportunity to relocate and provide our customers with a newer store and with better and more convenient access.”
The former bowling club amalgamated with the East Cessnock Bowling Club in 2009, but in February 2010 a fire started through an electrical fault and burnt the premises to the ground and it was not a viable option to rebuild the facility.
The site was listed for sale in 2013 and Mr. Herring agreed to terms with East Cessnock Bowling Club to acquire the site last year.
Mr. Herring also revealed that he has a commercial agreement to collocate on the site with Hungry Jacks.
“Hungry Jacks have been looking for a suitable site in Cessnock for the last 15 years and they see this as a perfect opportunity to get into the town.
“KFC and Hungry Jacks have collated on other sites around the country and we anticipate that this relationship on this site will work well for both parties.
“We are also looking to establish a petrol station and general store on the site as well and are currently talking to a number of interested parties to operate the facility.
“The three stores should generate up to 150 new jobs in the town, which should be a positive.”
A rezoning application has been lodged through Insite Planning with Cessnock Council.
“The site is zoned private recreation in respect to its previous use, but that is no longer applicable so we are looking to rezone the site to enable the proposed commercial use of the site,” Mr. Herring said.
“We hope to have final council approval early next year and be open for trading by the end of 2016.”
The planning proposal will be tabled at tonight’s Cessnock City Council meeting.
Local sporting clubs in the Aberdare area have voiced their concerns about the proposed development.
Cessnock Tennis Club president Michael Tsakissiris said that the club’s main worry is that it has a full-time caretaker who lives at the complex and currently accesses the residence via the boundary between the tennis club and the development site.
Mr. Tsakissiris said that while the club has nothing against the new proprietors of the land, the development could potentially mean the worst for the tennis club.
“If an arrangement cannot be agreed on by both parties prior to works commencing, then this could result in the loss of the full-time caretaker at the complex,” Mr. Tsakissiris said.
“This would dramatically impact the use of the complex as it currently runs and the tennis club would be forced to close its doors.
“We hope that the council will do all it possibly can to ensure that the tennis club does not dissolve and the tennis courts will be there for the Cessnock community to use and enjoy for many more decades.”
Cessnock Athletics discussed the development with other coordinators in the area at the zone meeting as well as at their AGM this week, and Cessnock City Hornets Football Club also raised their objections.
Both clubs mentioned increased traffic, litter, public loitering, car parking, security and safety as issues that will rise from the development.
The combination of sport and fast food was another concern raised with the zone athletics representatives. The Cessnock Athletics AGM saw mixed concerns among the committee, but the club plans to try and work with the proprietors as best as they can if the development goes through.
Hornets secretary Warren Jeffery said their canteen would lose vital funds trying to compete with a fast food outlet right next door, which would force the club to increase registration costs.
“You rely on that to raise money for the club,” he said.
All three clubs said they have no issues with development in Cessnock, but believe the location of it being in a sporting precinct between two schools is not a good idea.
“We’re not anti-progress or anything like that,” Mr. Jeffery said.
“But this can only have a negative impact for us.”
UPDATE: Cessnock City Council has deferred making a decision on the proposal until June 3.