Owners of the Royal Willows Hotel, Pambula, Jeanette and Kel Stolzenhein are moving ahead with their plans to replace the pub with a commercial building, believed to be a supermarket.
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A development application was submitted to council on July 16 for the demolition of 35-37 Quondola St, Pambula and the construction of a new commercial building.
Total costs for the works are estimated to be $8.022m.
There are no plans attached to the DA on council's website although Pambula Chamber of Commerce members were privy to a design at a meeting on February 18 this year.
The owners of the Royal Willows, Jeanette and Kel Stolzenhein also own the Pambula FoodWorks supermarket and have previously talked about wanting to move the supermarket to the space occupied by the pub.
Residents have talked about the need for a larger supermarket to serve the Pambula community.
While some chamber members are supportive of the Stolzenheim's plans, there are members of the community concerned about the proposed demolition of a building that has been a hotel for over 130 years.
In October 2018 Angela George, Shirley Bazley and Pat Raymond put a heritage nomination for the hotel to council but Ms George said they never heard back.
In their submission they said the Royal Willows was an important component of the Quondola Street vista, which made a positive contribution to the streetscape and the Pambula Main Street Conservation Area.
"As with many rural hotels, the Royal Willows has played a major role of the history of Pambula and the broader district," they wrote in their submission.
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"It has been a backdrop to many of the events that have influenced and shaped the district since it was built. As a gathering place for local residents and a central focus of social interaction for more than 130 years, it has a high level of significance to the local community.
"The continuous function of the building as a hotel since its license was first granted in 1886 adds to this intergenerational value, particularly as it is a now rare surviving example of the town's historic hotel trade, being one of only two of the dozen that once operated."
Pambula's main street is in a heritage conservation area for which there are design guidelines.
Denise Dion
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
