Waiter Oliver Newnham serves Margaret McRae of Albury and Vicki Reid of Moama at the River Deck Cafe, Noreuil Park, which Albury Council plans to open all year round. Picture: PETER MERKESTEYN
NOREUIL Park’s River Deck Cafe could open all year round under a major planning amendment set to be approved by Albury Council later this month.
The council is expected to rubber-stamp a recommendation the land occupied by the River Deck Cafe be re-classified from community to operational, to open the door to future development.
The recommendation has been passed unanimously by the council’s planning and development committee.
Noreuil Park attracts an estimated 600,000 visitors but the cafe, now leased to Alex and Christa Smit, only operates between November and April.
It has been leased five times since being built in the early 2000s.
But lessees have found restrictions on the site and building have hampered the business.
City planning staff member Matt Johnson said the change of land use from community to operational would enable the cafe to be significantly redeveloped.
“Currently the cafe only operates seasonally for six months of the year and operations are further restricted in that timeframe due to inclement weather,” he said.
“Council has received feedback from the lessees, customers and the public that a cafe beside the river at Noreuil Park that is operational throughout the year and during inclement weather would be beneficial.
“Investment in the site would be required to provide year-round service and a more enhanced experience for residents and visitors via the construction of an undercover area or awning over the site, or the like.
“Once the parcel is classified operational, the leasing process would provide prospective lessees more certainty for their business if they invested in the site.”
The site could also be sold with a special resolution of council if the change to operational land went ahead.
But the council has no plans to sell the River Deck Cafe.