'Killjoys': Jerry Schwartz's hotel carousel plans rejected
Schwartz Family Company, owned by Dr Schwartz, lodged plans in April 2025 for a mechanical carousel to be built in the garden area of the Rydges Hotel, adjacent to the Newcastle harbour foreshore.
The $25,000 amusement ride would have been seven metres wide and 6.5 metres tall and was planned for the exclusive use of hotel guests.
Newcastle council refused the plans due to concerns about urban design, built form, character, visual amenity and heritage.
The council had requested the application be withdrawn. City of Newcastle's principal development officer (planning), William Toose, said in the request to withdraw that the carousel was not compatible with the character for the harbour foreshore or city centre.
"In its locality the carousel will be highly visible from the public domain, where foreshore views and streetscape character should be maintained through the conscientious design of buildings and ancillary structures," Mr Toose said.
"The form, scale, and appearance of the structure are not sympathetic to the setting and will detract from the qualities of natural and built environment, while providing minimal public benefit."
The site is within the Newcastle City Centre Heritage Conservation Area. The council said the proposal failed to contribute to the "rich mixture of architecture styles and built form character" in the foreshore precinct and was inconsistent with the conservation area.
The request to withdraw said such "visually prominent" structures were typically initiated by public authorities, and designed to be "fully accessible and clearly in the public interest".
Dr Schwartz said he was "very disappointed" with the refusal as it missed "an opportunity to make the Newcastle CBD more tourist friendly".
He said cities such as London, Sydney and Melbourne had "vast" ferris wheels which added "real life and energy to the visitor experience".
"These were cities that understood the value of adding family-friendly facilities for visitors," Dr Schwartz said.
"What we proposed for the area outside the Rydges was far more modest.
"The hotel is targeting the family market. We've added a waterslide and play area because the market to Newcastle has changed since COVID.
"There is less business travel and more family travel and the city needs to respond to these changes in travel trends."
It is the second time Dr Schwartz's plans for a carousel on the hotel grounds have been refused.
Plans lodged in 2023 were also refused by the council in January 2024 on the grounds that the carousel was "contrary to the public interest", would have an "unreasonable impact on the environment" and was not consistent with parts of the local environmental plan.
Dr Schwartz said when the original submission was rejected, the company took on board the comments and he believed they were addressed in the second plan.
"We were more than happy to make concessions and make the carousel fit in with the location as harmoniously as possible," he said.
"Frankly, I think the council are being killjoys. I hope they will review their decision as it sends a bad message to visitors, especially families."
Hotelier Jerry Schwartz says he is "very disappointed" his plans for a carousel at Rydges Newcastle have been thwarted for a second time.
Schwartz Family Company, owned by Dr Schwartz, lodged plans in April 2025 for a mechanical carousel to be built in the garden area of the Rydges Hotel, adjacent to the Newcastle harbour foreshore.
The $25,000 amusement ride would have been seven metres wide and 6.5 metres tall and was planned for the exclusive use of hotel guests.
Newcastle council refused the plans due to concerns about urban design, built form, character, visual amenity and heritage.
The council had requested the application be withdrawn. City of Newcastle's principal development officer (planning), William Toose, said in the request to withdraw that the carousel was not compatible with the character for the harbour foreshore or city centre.
"In its locality the carousel will be highly visible from the public domain, where foreshore views and streetscape character should be maintained through the conscientious design of buildings and ancillary structures," Mr Toose said.
"The form, scale, and appearance of the structure are not sympathetic to the setting and will detract from the qualities of natural and built environment, while providing minimal public benefit."
The site is within the Newcastle City Centre Heritage Conservation Area. The council said the proposal failed to contribute to the "rich mixture of architecture styles and built form character" in the foreshore precinct and was inconsistent with the conservation area.
The request to withdraw said such "visually prominent" structures were typically initiated by public authorities, and designed to be "fully accessible and clearly in the public interest".
Dr Schwartz said he was "very disappointed" with the refusal as it missed "an opportunity to make the Newcastle CBD more tourist friendly".
He said cities such as London, Sydney and Melbourne had "vast" ferris wheels which added "real life and energy to the visitor experience".
"These were cities that understood the value of adding family-friendly facilities for visitors," Dr Schwartz said.
"What we proposed for the area outside the Rydges was far more modest.
"The hotel is targeting the family market. We've added a waterslide and play area because the market to Newcastle has changed since COVID.
"There is less business travel and more family travel and the city needs to respond to these changes in travel trends."
It is the second time Dr Schwartz's plans for a carousel on the hotel grounds have been refused.
Plans lodged in 2023 were also refused by the council in January 2024 on the grounds that the carousel was "contrary to the public interest", would have an "unreasonable impact on the environment" and was not consistent with parts of the local environmental plan.
Dr Schwartz said when the original submission was rejected, the company took on board the comments and he believed they were addressed in the second plan.
"We were more than happy to make concessions and make the carousel fit in with the location as harmoniously as possible," he said.
"Frankly, I think the council are being killjoys. I hope they will review their decision as it sends a bad message to visitors, especially families."
Hotelier Jerry Schwartz says he is "very disappointed" his plans for a carousel at Rydges Newcastle have been thwarted for a second time.
Schwartz Family Company, owned by Dr Schwartz, lodged plans in April 2025 for a mechanical carousel to be built in the garden area of the Rydges Hotel, adjacent to the Newcastle harbour foreshore.
The $25,000 amusement ride would have been seven metres wide and 6.5 metres tall and was planned for the exclusive use of hotel guests.
Newcastle council refused the plans due to concerns about urban design, built form, character, visual amenity and heritage.
The council had requested the application be withdrawn. City of Newcastle's principal development officer (planning), William Toose, said in the request to withdraw that the carousel was not compatible with the character for the harbour foreshore or city centre.
"In its locality the carousel will be highly visible from the public domain, where foreshore views and streetscape character should be maintained through the conscientious design of buildings and ancillary structures," Mr Toose said.
"The form, scale, and appearance of the structure are not sympathetic to the setting and will detract from the qualities of natural and built environment, while providing minimal public benefit."
The site is within the Newcastle City Centre Heritage Conservation Area. The council said the proposal failed to contribute to the "rich mixture of architecture styles and built form character" in the foreshore precinct and was inconsistent with the conservation area.
The request to withdraw said such "visually prominent" structures were typically initiated by public authorities, and designed to be "fully accessible and clearly in the public interest".
Dr Schwartz said he was "very disappointed" with the refusal as it missed "an opportunity to make the Newcastle CBD more tourist friendly".
He said cities such as London, Sydney and Melbourne had "vast" ferris wheels which added "real life and energy to the visitor experience".
"These were cities that understood the value of adding family-friendly facilities for visitors," Dr Schwartz said.
"What we proposed for the area outside the Rydges was far more modest.
"The hotel is targeting the family market. We've added a waterslide and play area because the market to Newcastle has changed since COVID.
"There is less business travel and more family travel and the city needs to respond to these changes in travel trends."
It is the second time Dr Schwartz's plans for a carousel on the hotel grounds have been refused.
Plans lodged in 2023 were also refused by the council in January 2024 on the grounds that the carousel was "contrary to the public interest", would have an "unreasonable impact on the environment" and was not consistent with parts of the local environmental plan.
Dr Schwartz said when the original submission was rejected, the company took on board the comments and he believed they were addressed in the second plan.
"We were more than happy to make concessions and make the carousel fit in with the location as harmoniously as possible," he said.
"Frankly, I think the council are being killjoys. I hope they will review their decision as it sends a bad message to visitors, especially families."
Hotelier Jerry Schwartz says he is "very disappointed" his plans for a carousel at Rydges Newcastle have been thwarted for a second time.
Schwartz Family Company, owned by Dr Schwartz, lodged plans in April 2025 for a mechanical carousel to be built in the garden area of the Rydges Hotel, adjacent to the Newcastle harbour foreshore.
The $25,000 amusement ride would have been seven metres wide and 6.5 metres tall and was planned for the exclusive use of hotel guests.
Newcastle council refused the plans due to concerns about urban design, built form, character, visual amenity and heritage.
The council had requested the application be withdrawn. City of Newcastle's principal development officer (planning), William Toose, said in the request to withdraw that the carousel was not compatible with the character for the harbour foreshore or city centre.
"In its locality the carousel will be highly visible from the public domain, where foreshore views and streetscape character should be maintained through the conscientious design of buildings and ancillary structures," Mr Toose said.
"The form, scale, and appearance of the structure are not sympathetic to the setting and will detract from the qualities of natural and built environment, while providing minimal public benefit."
The site is within the Newcastle City Centre Heritage Conservation Area. The council said the proposal failed to contribute to the "rich mixture of architecture styles and built form character" in the foreshore precinct and was inconsistent with the conservation area.
The request to withdraw said such "visually prominent" structures were typically initiated by public authorities, and designed to be "fully accessible and clearly in the public interest".
Dr Schwartz said he was "very disappointed" with the refusal as it missed "an opportunity to make the Newcastle CBD more tourist friendly".
He said cities such as London, Sydney and Melbourne had "vast" ferris wheels which added "real life and energy to the visitor experience".
"These were cities that understood the value of adding family-friendly facilities for visitors," Dr Schwartz said.
"What we proposed for the area outside the Rydges was far more modest.
"The hotel is targeting the family market. We've added a waterslide and play area because the market to Newcastle has changed since COVID.
"There is less business travel and more family travel and the city needs to respond to these changes in travel trends."
It is the second time Dr Schwartz's plans for a carousel on the hotel grounds have been refused.
Plans lodged in 2023 were also refused by the council in January 2024 on the grounds that the carousel was "contrary to the public interest", would have an "unreasonable impact on the environment" and was not consistent with parts of the local environmental plan.
Dr Schwartz said when the original submission was rejected, the company took on board the comments and he believed they were addressed in the second plan.
"We were more than happy to make concessions and make the carousel fit in with the location as harmoniously as possible," he said.
"Frankly, I think the council are being killjoys. I hope they will review their decision as it sends a bad message to visitors, especially families."
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