Local developer over the moon after getting approval to shape city's skyline

The former builder is one half of a husband-and-wife development duo who are at long last seeing their decade-long dream come true: the construction of Tamworth's first mid-rise apartment complex.

"It's fantastic. It's taken a while to sink in for Narree and I, but we're really excited to move into the next phase of the project," Mr McIntosh said.

The two-towered 'Menzies' development on Marius and Dowe Street was approved at Tamworth council's most recent meeting after nearly two years of intense negotiations regarding the project's size and scope.

The final result will be a two-storey pub and café, microbrewery, five commercial shops, 22 residential apartments, two short-term serviced apartments, communal gym, and swimming pool.

Mr McIntosh says he and Narree hope to get construction off the ground in the first half of 2024.

The pair also want the development to create jobs for fellow Tamworthians.

"We've staged the construction so we can keep it within the level of local builders' limits. Narree and I are 100 per cent behind local work by local contractors," Mr McIntosh said.

But the developers are confident they won't have to sacrifice time despite hiring comparatively smaller construction crews.

Due to the project's building schedule, Mr McIntosh says builders will be able to work on multiple stages at the same time.

"I'm hoping it will be completed in 2025. Certainly our approach is to push as fast as we can since we have several potential purchasers already interested," he said.

The developer also said he hopes the Menzies project marks the beginning of more mid-rise and eventually high-rise coming to provide CBD living to Tamworth.

"Every time Narree and I do a development, we hope it encourages more developers to come because responsible development is great for the town," Mr McIntosh said.

Other towns like Dubbo, Orange, and Bathurst were also exploring options for more CBD housing, and Mr McIntosh says he wants his development to put Tamworth on the front foot.

"It's a race to be better. If we continue raising the bar and getting better, it's the people of Tamworth and our children who are the ones who benefit," he said.

But not everyone is as excited about the new complex as Mr McIntosh.

Some residents are concerned with how the shops in the complex will impact the already-tight parking situation in the CBD.

The project includes 34 car parking spaces for residential tenants and staff, but none for shoppers.

Tamworth council's preliminary traffic assessment differed from the one initially submitted by the McIntoshes, finding "a parking shortfall of 56 spaces".

The developers will be required to pay more than $1.27 million into council's parking development fund to make up for this shortfall.

Tamworth's mayor Russell Webb recently told the Leader contributions like these will give council the ability to "build a car parking station in the not-too distant future".

Mr McIntosh said the parking fee was simply the cost of doing business.

"It was just part of the negotiations ... I'm happy to kick-start the funds to see a multi-storey car park in Tamworth," he said.

The total value of the Menzies project is expected to be in excess of $20 million.

One of the final challenges for the new apartment complex will be working out how to co-exist with the Tamworth Hotel, which has long-since objected to the new development on their doorstep.

Owners of the hotel previously told the Leader they're concerned with how the new apartments will affect the future of their business.

Their main concerns are shadows being cast over the hotel's beer garden, restrictions to the hotel's future development, and bedrooms being built six metres away from the live music stage.

Mr McIntosh said he hoped all parties could put aside any lingering bad blood and focus on the future.

"They've got existing accommodation within the hotel, so let's manage it the way they currently manage it now," he said.

"It's been approved, so we need to work together now for the future and be good neighbours."

The Tamworth Hotel was contacted for comment.