TRENTHAM's former Cosmopolitan Hotel will be auctioned next month following a successful appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.Hotel owners Billy and Lissa McIldowney took the Hepburn Shire Council to VCAT over permit conditions it attached to a subdivision application for the historic property.The couple was also fighting a council decision that they retain a dilapidated chook shed, known as Bickley's Cottage, on the site.A hearing was held at VCAT before Dalia Cook on September 15, this year - almost three years after the hotel was extensively damaged by fire.Ms Cook set aside council's decision regarding Bickley's Cottage and granted a permit for its demolition subject to two conditions.She also varied the subdivision application, describing council's conditions as "excessive and unreasonable''.Mrs McIldowney welcomed Ms Cook's decision, saying it was fair and reasonable."Although we didn't get the seven lots we originally applied for, we are very happy with the decision,'' she said."We would like to thank all those people who wrote letters to VCAT supporting our appeal,'' she said."The decision is a victory for the community of Trentham and a triumph for common sense."For the last three years, our lives have been overshadowed by the aftermath of the Cosmo fire. Now that the hard work on the subdivision is done, we are looking forward to closing this chapter and handing on this very special property to someone with the vision and enthusiasm to complete the development.''The property, located in High St, will be auctioned with the new permits in place on Sunday, December 7.Hepburn Shire Council spokeswoman Sue Moses said council would not comment on the VCAT decision.