Dear Inner West Council
We have received notification of the DA/2022/0802 for the old Town Hall Hotel.
Whilst we appreciate the nature of encouraging businesses and keeping properties maintained for future generations, we object to this current DA.
The re-opening of this pub at 366 Darling St, would be a backward step for council when they have been encouraging shop-top housing, this pub would cause issues for local residents and their families living in these areas along Darling, Rowntree and Montague streets.
Some of the attached reports listed on the councils website and attached to the DA also seem to ignore the fact and not show that there are indeed residential buildings and other “shop-top housing” opposite in Darling st, and down Rowntree street, and any business operating to 2am will affect residents and their families, especially any outdoor terraces.
It also contradicts having doors to the premises closed to reduce noise created by patrons, yet such patrons and associated noises always increase with the consumption of alcohol in these instances. At later hours when there is reduced traffic, noise created will travel and be quite audible to these residents with families in the areas adjacent and opposite this business.
All the DA documents and all photos attached in those reports are based on the assumptions that it is a commerical area which as mentioned above is incorrect, some of these properties have been there for 2-3 years. The properties across the road are being described as commerical only, yet are in fact shop-top housing accommodation. Any reports and photos should show this is the fact, this would seem they are trying to skirt around the fact there are residents with families nearby who will be impacted.
Most residents who work normal 9-5 hours and have children will be impacted by any closure at 2am and impact their wellbeing and sense of relaxation, there should not be any external areas that can been seen from the public domain were people are seen drinking all day and into the night, it should not be allowed, any pub operating if allowed should have a reasonable closing time of 11pm that would seem more appropriate, there are other pubs around the vicinity which close before midnight.
Another issue is the social impact, pubs that have late closing times always encourage and attract anti social behaviour, such as can be seen in other areas, especially in Kings Cross, and the city area. They also have no patron parking, that will only put untold pressure on the existing limited street spaces and possibly of being under the influence when driving away.
We have approx seven to ten existing pubs, all within 5-10 minutes walk, we do not need another. We already experience intoxicated people from these other pubs in the area creating antisocial behaviour taking up residential parking, blocking access, the rowdy behaviour, sometimes very aggressive behaviour, urinating and defecating in peoples front and rear yards and parking areas which is not a pretty sight to clean up.
Another concern would be the volume of patrons leaving, in various stages of alcohol consumption which as above can be aggressive and anti-social, it may also may lead to accidents occurring being on a busy intersection.
Changing the FSR via a variation 4.6, also exceeds the development levels and increases the above issues and acoustic impacts, having a bigger services section (basement) allows more turnover of patrons and people into the premises that was never designed to accomodate, these impacts flow to the volume of people affecting the local residents and their families, such as noise, parking and behaviour. It is not in the local residents or the publics interest to have another pub in a shared shop-top housing area.
These premises have not been used as a pub for a few years now, and the businesses that were in this property did not impact local residents and closed well before midnight creating no issues or any anti-social behaviour. Any new pub with outdoor terraces will have a detrimental affect on the local residents amenities.
Also there are no public transport options at 2am, so how can they be encouraging patrons to use public transport, most will rely on there own cars, not only clogging local residential parking, and causing noises as they get into and drive away, but also the possibility of being under the influence of alcohol whilst driving away.
Some of the attached reports provided for this DA also seem to not take into account the large number of local residents that indeed have families, enjoy the local lifestyle, close proximity to schools and parks, that living in Balmain area provides, to have another pub that attracts bad behaviour etc, is not something we want to subject our children to.
Therefore I urge Inner West Council to not approve this application in its current form.
