As the wait continues for the Town Centre Renewal construction, 65 businesses have expressed their anger over the plan and stated their intention to hold the Inverell Shire Council liable for any economic losses caused.
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Construction was set to begin on Otho Street on January 29, but has been delayed because Roads and Maritime Services have not granted a Work Authorisation Deed.
The group of ‘concerned business owners’ signed a letter, sent to council general manager Paul Henry today, which states that they “are unimpressed by the manner in which the TCRP has been imposed” on businesses, the general public and visitors to the town.
Initiated by Babs Lorraine owner Roslyn Hulbert with support of her husband Scott, the letter criticises the low rating given to economic impact in the council’s completion of part five of the Environmental Planning Assessment Act for the Otho Street works.
“It is plainly obvious that the disruption to trade will be potentially disastrous for some and crippling for others,” the letter read.
“How was this assessment made and under what criteria, when there has been no consultation with the business owners affected?”
Mrs Hulbert said she felt the council was failing the community with the low economic impact rating. She agreed with Councillor Mal Peters, who argued earlier this week that the rating can’t be a true reflection of the economic impact without business consultation.
“No one’s come and asked me what kind of an impact it’s going to have on my business. Not one council person,” Mrs Hulbert said.
“I feel the impact on the business community is going to be huge, and it doesn’t just hurt the people in the street where work’s being done – it has a snowball effect, goes right through the community,” she said.
She said it had taken years for all of the shops in Otho and Byron Street to be filled. She felt many retailers were struggling with a downturn in business, and wondered how they would cope with the 15-week construction period.
“A lot of us have been doing it very, very tough for quite a while,” she said.
“For them to think they can come in and not lose a business, they are joking.” Mrs Hulbert surveyed Glen Innes businesses about similar construction in their town centre in 2014.
“Every business I walked into kept on saying ‘Don’t let the council do this to your town,’” she said.
The letter challenges the council to compensate the town’s businesses for disruption to trade during the construction period.
“Under the present circumstances we, the undersigned, hold the Inverell Shire Council liable for the economic loss these works will cause our businesses,” the letter read.
“We are the town, not the council,” Mrs Hulbert said.
“We’re the ones that put our heart and soul into our businesses, and they’re the ones that want to rip it out of us.”
Mr Hulbert felt the council was avoiding responsibility, and should not have set a construction date without a Work Authorisation Deed.
He contacted Roads and Maritime Services on January 28, asking if the council had permission to work on Otho Street. He noted that businesses had been given just 15 days notice of the construction.
RMS replied, indicating that construction could not start until the Work Authorisation Deed process was finalised.