Mr Angelcov said the City invited him to provide comments on the proposed Town Planning Scheme No.2 and did not realise his submission would be made public.
‘It’s made it look like I’ve initiated this but I haven’t,’ he said. ‘I just thought a special site like this might qualify for more than what everyone else was zoned.
‘All I did was reply to the request for comments.’
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READ NOWMr Angelcov said he would not be pursuing the change of zoning from special use-hotel to residential-commercial, which would enable an expansion or redevelopment of the Charles Hotel up to five storeys.
‘I was just looking for more flexibility, I don’t have any builders or architects ready,’ he said.
‘Because of how large the site is and the main roads, I thought it should get the higher zoning. At the moment the site is underdeveloped. If I did redevelop, it would be within the proposed town planning scheme and suited to the site.’
A public forum will be held on the town planning scheme tonight at 6pm.
Vincent chief executive Len Kosova said the Minister for Planning would be the final decision-maker in zoning changes proposed by the draft scheme.
‘We did receive a further submission from the Charles Hotel, in response to community feedback, and we will present that at the forum and subsequent council report,’ Mr Kosova said.
‘Any submitter is entitled to withdraw or amend their original submission, and any such further requests would be considered along with their original submission.’