Emirates Wolgan Valley gets approval at last.
A report in the Lithgow Mercury says that although it has taken many months of negotiations and unanticipated delays but final approvals have been received to allow the go ahead on the State’s first six star luxury resort, the Emirates Resort and Spa in the Wolgan Valley.
Member for Bathurst Gerard Martin confirmed on Tuesday that Federal authorities had signed off on the project, removing the final obstacle to the development.
Mr Martin said that the NSW Government had finalised its approvals earlier this year but delays had been caused by other issues that had to be processed through Canberra.
“The district residents will have good reason to be pleased that this exciting project is now set to go ahead creating a new dimension in international tourism for Lithgow,” he said.
Mr Martin said the resort will provide more than 100 new jobs, most of them full time, adding, “We’ve all been waiting for this for a long time and next year we should be seeing the finished product and the immense boost it will bring to our tourism image”.
Mr Martin said NSW Planning had been notified by Canberra only on Friday that the approvals had been ‘signed off’ and State authorities were now ‘only waiting on the paperwork’.
Project Manager for the Wolgan Resort Joost Heymeijer said yesterday the project was ‘now very close’, adding,”We still have to make sure we have ticked all the boxes and finalise a couple of issues but as far as we are concerned it is all systems go”.
Mr Heymeijer said advice had been received late last week from Federal Minister Malcolm Turnbull of approvals under the Environmental Planning and Biodiversity Act, adding, there were final details being negotiated with the building company before any public announcement could be made regarding the major contractor.
The development will be only the second six star resort in Australia, with the first was the plush Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast.
The resort is being developed by the premium hospitality division of the Emirates Airline Group and is modelled on the award winning Al Maha Desert Resort in Dubai and will incorporate 36 one bedroom villas and three two bedroom villas, all with their private seven metre swimming pool, a business centre, conference facilities for up to 90 guests, a 25 metre outdoor pool with generous lounge area and services, a lounge bar and conservatory, spa treatments and gymnasium.
The 4000 acre grazing property surrounded by a stunning cliff line and bordered by a National Park in the Wolgan Valley and it was this proximity to the Wollemi National Park and Blue Mountains World Heritage Area that has led to much of the delays in the bureaucratic processes.
This had also resulted in considerable opposition from environmental groups.
Emirates had originally scheduled the on site work to begin in April last year and the project to be completed by October this year.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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