The board of Mawson's Serbian Club has passed the first hurdle to rebuild and add residential units to its abandoned property.
The Planning and Land Authority approved the club's application to remove the concessional status of the lease over two blocks in the Mawson shopping precinct.
![The Serbian Australian Club in Mawson has been closed since 2010.](/web/20170410013655im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/1/t/c/y/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvfqh5.png/1491657884008.jpg)
The removal of the status has given the club the ability to apply to expand the floor space and uses of the site, which had previously been restricted to club activity only.
President Robert Milicevic said the club applied to remove the concessional status so revenue streams other than poker machines could be proposed for the site.
Suggestions for the site included the construction of a mixed-use building made up of a combination of Serbian cultural and community facilities, a childcare centre and apartments.
"We just tried and talked about [removing the concessional status] a few times before, but we didn't go seriously and apply until now," Mr Milicevic said.
Under the approval, the lessee would be required to pay out the market value for the Crown lease on the site.
But an Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate spokeswoman said any new uses or development on the site would need to be assessed through a new development application to the Planning and Land Authority.
"The site is currently vacant and in disrepair," the spokeswoman said.
"Encouraging development on this site is in line with the Canberra Planning Strategy and master planning undertaken for the Mawson Town Centre.
The existing building has been closed for almost seven years and subject to vandalism, theft of copper pipes and electrical wires, and graffiti.
No electricity runs to the building, which has been fenced off from the rest of the Mawson shops and restaurants that front Heard Street.
Secretary Gordana Ivancevic said reopening the space would allow the new generations of Canberrans with Serbian backgrounds to reconnect with their culture.
"That's why it was designed, so when you have music, when you have functions that can't be conducted on church premises, you have an area to go to and children have somewhere to gather," she said.
"The facility will be available for people to hire for functions, and for the community to use on a daily basis for Sunday school, Serbian school, soccer clubs, all sorts of things."
The club will contract a developer to help determine the next development application, as well as the specific components of the planned building.
"We're not going to do the next DA until we know exactly what the developer wants in there," Ms Ivancevic said.
Removing the concessional status of the lease faced criticisms from some portions of Canberra's Serbian community, with a petition gathering signatures in opposition to the plan.