Hotel Projects Divide Nowra

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday April 19, 2008

By ALEX ARNOLD

SHOALHAVEN City Council is moving forward with controversial plans to sell land to development company Huscorp for a four-storey hotel in Nowra.

However, the viability of the project has been questioned after a rival development group, Nowra Holdings, lodged its own plans with the NSW Department of Planning, for a four-storey hotel on a nearby riverfront site.

Shoalhaven Business Chamber president Garry Wilbraham said his organisation backed the location of the Nowra Holdings proposal.

The chamber facilitated a meeting between Nowra Holdings and the community last week.

Mr Wilbraham said the Shoalhaven was in need of a quality hotel and had supported the Huscorp proposal when it was the only option on the table.

"Now the riverfront option is on the books we believe it is the one to be supported," he said.

"We know it is a difficult problem for council as they are selling the land, but we believe the riverside location is in the best interests of the Shoalhaven."

Shoalhaven City Council has faced criticism over its dealings with Huscorp, with accusations made that the land for the hotel, as well as another council-owned car park in Huskisson, had been sold for less than market value.

Earlier this month the council rejected a motion to suspend negotiations with Huscorp, after the resignation of two directors who are facing criminal charges.

Buddy Bechara, 45, and David Kertebani, 32, are facing charges of obtaining financial advantage through deception and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

They are due to reappear at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.

The two men resigned from Huscorp at the start of February.

Huscorp director Afram Hanna said Kertebani and Bechara were no longer directors and did not have financial or other interests in the company.

Shoalhaven Councillor John Willmott said he thought both projects could be accommodated "in the medium term".

"Council went to expressions of interest for the hotel site in 2005 and there are synergies between the (Huscorp) hotel and the new entertainment centre," Cr Willmott said.

"But there is sentiment in the community to activate the waterfront."

Cr Willmott said with the entertainment centre targeting the conference market, two hotels could be feasible.

"Especially with the expansion of Albatross and other businesses in the area."

Shoalhaven mayor Greg Watson said he was "playing a straight bat" to both proposals and did not favour one over the other.

But when asked if two hotels would be viable he said "probably not in the immediate future".

Both development companies have ambitious plans linked to their respective hotel projects.

Beyond its hotel, Huscorp has plans for apartment buildings up to nine storeys high on neighbouring land.

Nowra Holdings' plans for land next to its hotel include a private hospital.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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