Muswellbrook Shire Councillors have endorsed a plan to build a new chambers meeting room in the Campbell's Corner building at the council's monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 26.
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Muswellbrook Council's administration centre relocated to the Campbell's Corner building in October 2020 and initially planned to use an existing meeting room for both staff meetings and as a council chambers.
But Muswellbrook Mayor Steve Reynolds said the council had found the 'Loxton Room' unsuitable as a chambers due to its size and ambience.
"(The Loxton Room) has proved to be inadequate for a Chambers, particularly its capacity to accommodate many members of the public," Mr Reynolds said.
The council said it had explored other options for a chambers within the Campbell's Corner building, including a vacant shopfront and adjacent heritage rooms, but said the decision by Muswellbrook IGA to not renew its lease in the building in May provided an "opportunity to create a space for a purpose-built Council Chambers while maintaining retail/commercial spaces".
"It was communicated to the public in forums earlier that the move to Campbells Corner would be temporary until a new premises was constructed, however this option will be more cost effective in the long term given the recent availability of space adjoining council," Mr Reynolds said.
Mr Reynolds said the plan was estimated to cost council approximately $700,000, with costs to be finalised as part of the development application process. Once approved, the project is expected to take six months to complete.
The proposed plan includes a councillors' room with a kitchenette, a council chambers with raked seating for 45 members of the public and a mayor's office and reception area.
The layout changes would also see a reduction in the supermarket footprint of the former IGA site from 870 m2 to approximately 650 m2.
Mr Reynolds said the reduced size of the tenancy would likely appeal to a smaller grocer or fresh produce outlet and the council was already "canvassing interest".
The design also includes a new entrance from Bridge Street into the administration centre as well as space for a possible takeaway food shop and a larger commercial space incorporating heritage elements of the building.
Mr Reynolds said regular council meetings would still take place in Denman and Sandy Hollow once the new chambers are completed, with at least one meeting in each town per year at a minimum.
