The Trentham Historical Society organised the petition after a six-lot subdivision application for 59 Cosmo Rd was lodged with the council in February.

The petition has more than 160 signatures.

The historical society sais that in the subdivision proposal an allotment boundary runs through the middle of the cottage, which is marked "to be demolished".

The society believes the cottage should not be demolished because of its "intrinsic value" and its "place in the Trentham Heritage Overlay".

The cottage was built in Tylden and moved to Trentham in 1866 to house the Bickley family while the Cosmopolitan Hotel was being built.

"To allow demolition would set a dangerous precedent and make a farce of the whole Heritage Overlay system," the petition said.

The historical society's preferred solution is to preserve the cottage on site.

It has suggested that this could occur through numerous options including: shifting the subdivision boundary so the cottage is within the same site as the hotel; shifting the boundary so the cottage is within the site adjacent

to the hotel site; or excising from the subdivision a small additional block, covering the site of the cottage.

In the petition, the historical society did not recommend relocation.

"We urge council to take into account this clear expression of public opinion.

"We recognise the economic and cultural importance of the renovation of the Cosmopolitan Hotel.

"We depend upon council to find a solution which preserves both the Cosmo and the cottage, and which holds the principles laid out in the Heritage Study," the petition said.

Acting on behalf of the planning applicant, Mark Stansfield from Singleton Bahen Stansfield was surprised a petition was lodged, but said everyone was entilted to object. The subdivision application is expected to go to the council's

next meeting in Smeaton on Tuesday, May 15, at 7pm.