THE Black Uhlans plan to relaunch their bikie clubhouse in a move likely to raise concerns from Albury police.
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Officers shut down the heavily fortified Townsend Street club in May after finding it was being run without a liquor licence and was in breach of the Restricted Premises Act.
Local officers joined police from a gangs squad strike force during the raid on May 6 and seized drugs, more than 550 cans of alcohol and club paraphernalia, including steel signage from the front of the property.
The bikie gang has launched a new bid to legitimise the club by lodging a development application with Albury Council for a “function centre”.
At this stage, councillors won’t get a say in the plan, with staff to consider the proposal under delegation.
Habitat Planning lodged the application last month.
The development application would see an existing 285-square-metre workshop converted into a function centre and undercover motorbike parking installed.
While the application makes several references to the building being a “function centre”, it also notes the site will actually be windowless “clubrooms associated with a motorcycle club”.
Club members have previously been linked to murders, drug trafficking and sexual assaults.
There has been a state and federal crackdown on outlaw bikie gangs in recent years.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission notes outlaw motorcycle gangs “are one of the most high-profile manifestations of organised crime”.
“It is the criminal activities of OMCGs that distinguish them from recreational motorcycle riding clubs, which are made up of people who get together solely to ride their motorcycles and socialise,” a report states.
Albury mayor Kevin Mack said the council would deal with the proposal “like any other application”.
“We can’t afford to discriminate or distinguish between applications,” he said.
“It will be made on a planning basis and a planning basis only.”
He said the proposal would be considered by staff under delegation unless a large number of submissions were made.