Planning Proposal Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre

Public Exhibition

Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, and Council’s Community Participation Plan, Council exhibited the Planning Proposal for a minimum 28 days from 5 October 2022 to 2 November 2022.

As a result of the public exhibition process, a wide range of written submissions were received.

A copy of the following documents relating to the public exhibition process are provided in the document library:

• BIMC Planning Proposal – Public Exhibition and Submission Summary
• BIMC Planning Proposal – Public Exhibition and Submission Summary - Appendix 1 (minutes of information sessions)
• BIMC Planning Proposal – Public Exhibition and Submission Summary - Appendix 2 (copy of all written submissions received)
• BIMC Planning Proposal – Key Messages from the written submissions

What is being proposed?

Council has placed on public exhibition a Planning Proposal which seeks to insert a site-specific planning control into the Bathurst Regional Local Environmental Plan 2014 (LEP 2014). The Planning Proposal relates to the following sites:

• Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre (BIMC) site on 252 Howick Street which is privately owned
• George Street Carpark (GSC) site which is owned by Council

The intention is to facilitate the ability for these specific sites to be developed into a six-storey Integrated Medical Centre and a four-storey carpark. The current planning controls would not permit the envisaged development. The Planning Proposal seeks to amend the LEP 2014 as follows:

The site-specific planning control would include additional assessment criteria for any development application proposed on the site to meet. The additional criteria would be designed to manage the proposed new building height and is anticipated to include design excellence factors such as the following:

• Building design, setbacks and materials
• Visual impacts and impacts on views
• Integration into the heritage streetscape
• Environmental impacts such as overshadowing and sustainable design
• Access to the site including by vehicles, service vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists
• Relationship to the public domain
• Landscaping

The Planning Proposal does not approve the Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre. The Planning Proposal only seeks to amend the Planning Controls to facilitate development of the sites for the BIMC and a car park at a building height and FSR greater than that which is currently permissible under the LEP 2014. The Planning Proposal will not result in the FSR and building heights to be increased anywhere else.

The height and FSR changes will only apply to development for the purposes of an integrated medical centre and associated car parking. Should development for these purposes not proceed then the existing height and FSR controls would continue to apply to the land.

Why is the Planning Proposal happening?

Amendments to the LEP 2014 to increase the maximum height of buildings and FSR on a site-specific basis would allow for the future consideration of a development application for a six-storey medical centre on the BIMC site and a four-storey car park on the GSC site.

The proposed BIMC will provide approximately 10,300m² of floor area for the provision of a variety of health and related education services catering to the population of Bathurst. This will allow for community, primary and allied health, and social support uses ancillary to the hospital uses. The co-location of such services within the Bathurst CBD ensures high accessibility and amenity to residents and visitors.

The redevelopment of the GSC will serve future visitors to the BIMC in addition to providing car parking for surrounding uses within the Town Centre. The total parking provided by the GSC is anticipated to cater for approximately 915 car spaces.

What process does a Planning Proposal follow?

The applicant, BIMC Pty Ltd, has submitted the Planning Proposal to Bathurst Regional Council. Council has referred the Planning Proposal to the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) for review and a Gateway determination has been issued to enable its public exhibition. The Gateway determination does not approve the Planning Proposal itself, it ‘opens the gate’ for Council to place the Planning Proposal on public exhibition and further consider amending the LEP 2014.

If the Planning Proposal is supported and the subsequent amendments to the LEP 2014 are made, then this will allow the applicant to lodge a State Significant Development (SSD) application through the DPE. Council will not be determining the application for the construction of the buildings. Council will remain the owner of the GSC site and associated land.

Stages of consultation/engagement

The table below outlines the stages of community consultation that have or will be undertaken as the Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre development proceeds. Exhibition of the Planning Proposal represents stage 2 of the consultation process.

The Planning Proposal is on public exhibition for 28 days. Submissions can be submitted in writing between 5 October to 2 November 2022.

If you would like to talk to Council about the Planning Proposal, please contact Council’s Environmental, Planning & Building Services Department on 02 6333 6211 or council@bathurst.nsw.gov.au.

Helpful information & links:

Planning Portal website

Planning Proposal application number: PP-2021-6620

Planning Proposal documents available in the document library.

• Planning Proposal
• Map of the applicable land area
• Gateway determination
• DPE letter to Council to proceed to exhibition
• Appendix 1 – Architectural plans
• Appendix 2 – Design report
• Appendix 3 – Traffic Impact Statement
• Appendix 4 – Statement of Heritage Impact
• Appendix 5 – Economic Assessment
• Appendix 6 – Preliminary Contamination Investigation
• Appendix 7 – Consultation with Council
• Council report and resolution
• Explanation document
• Frequently asked questions/Flyer
• Applicant (Keylan) response to Gateway Conditions
• Site Survey