The crane that has sat idle for two years above the Nelson Bay skyline was a result of the economic downturn and furious debate over building height limits, according to crane owner and renowned Port Stephens developer Rod Salmon.
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While apologetic to the people of Port Stephens for the crane's longer than anticipated presence, the high-flying Sydney hotelier claims he has been a victim of Port Stephens councillors dragging their feet on building heights legislation and prominent opponents to building heights, such as Tomaree Residents and Ratepayers Association (TRRA).
Port Stephens mayor Ryan Palmer said the idle crane had been the subject of much commentary from residents and that he would be very keen to see the original development proceed as soon as possible.
"It [crane] cannot stay there forever. The best outcome would be a development along the lines of the Nelson Bay town centre strategy that would appeal to both locals and visitors," Cr Palmer said.
Mr Salmon, in Nelson Bay on Thursday to inspect the progress of his Talmora townhouse development on the corner of Church and Stockton streets, said that he would much rather be talking about the potential influx of cashed up residents to the Bay than his crane.
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"I do apologise that it has sat there idle but we will be developing this site in good time, my hope is within two years. The reason it has remained is purely financial. It would cost $50,000 to dismantle and re-assemble," he said.
Mr Salmon said at the time of installing the crane on the Ascent site, "we were less than two months away from being shovel-ready", before being hampered by building height issues and a downturn in the economy.
Mr Salmon is no stranger to the Bay.
Over the years his investments have included the Nelson Bay cinema and former Caltex site, currently being leased to the council for carparking, on Stockton Street, as well as properties at Anna Bay and Boat Harbour.
His Talmora project, which features a mix of three, four and five bedroom townhouses ranging in price from $680,000 to $1.22 million, is expected to be ready for occupation by November. Sales start on September 1.
Mr Salmon then aims to turn his attention to the 'hole in the ground and crane in the sky', the Ascent development which has council DA approval for 57 units.
"At the time [2017] we had 17 apartments sold, the bank wanted 20 sold. Then talk that the council could go up to 10 or more storeys and this created fear amongst the buyers," he said.
"It was a real kick in the guts, it meant we could not get the loan and eventually we returned all deposits and put Ascent on hold."
Mr Salmon has since purchased an adjoining vacant property to Ascent, giving him a total of 4700 square metres and the opportunity to design a new resort-style development within council's height limits. It would require a new DA.
Nelson Bay NOW, made up of representatives from the Business Chamber, TRRA, EcoNetwork Port Stephens, Destination Port Stephens, businesses and commercial property owners, says new residential developments have an important part to play in encouraging investment.
"In the past, this town was the main shopping district for the area, but the growth of Salamander has changed this. Nelson Bay still has a major role in the commercial identity of the area, and has been identified as a strategic centre based on tourism potential," Nelson Bay NOW chairman Heath Jones said.
"It provides a retail area more central to holiday accommodation, events, the marina, beaches and a growing number of people choosing to live permanently in nearby unit developments.
"The large malls are now finding their own difficulties as internet retailers push many existing businesses out of the shopping centres, but the kind of tenants that occupy the space in tourist areas are often not as impacted, they include hairdressers, tourist operators, real estate agents, cafes, restaurants, gift stores and beauticians."
Mr Jones said that the diverse nature of the buildings also provided space off the ground floor, perfect for low cost and professional areas.
"The challenge is to keep the area viable for these businesses, preserve the coastal village character while providing good lighting, clean streets and adequate and central car parking," he said.
