Community has its say on hotel proposal

THE community has spoken about the proposal to build a five-storey hotel near the start of the Great Ocean Road in Torquay, and almost all of the public feedback is against it.

The Surf Coast Shire received 133 objections and only one submission in support of the planning application for 2-4 Geelong Road and 48-50 Bell Street, and held a hearing of submissions meeting last week at the council chambers.

Of the 13 speakers on the night, 12 were against the $60 million proposal – referred to as Hotel Indigo in the planning documents – which would contain 128 rooms, a restaurant, gym, indoor pool, function space, day spa and a roof terrace and bar on the third floor.

Issues raised in the objections include the hotel’s height, the amount of car parking provided, the noise it will generate, and its siting and design.

Geoff Collins, who lives in the house immediately to the north of the proposed site, said he would accept a two-storey or three-storey proposal, but not a five-storey hotel.

Committee for Torquay chair Barrie Sutherland and board member Tony White said they supported development in Torquay, but it needed to be managed properly.

“There is a difference between defining a town and dominating a town… you can’t think of Pisa without a tower, you can’t think of Sydney without an Opera House, and you won’t be able to think about Torquay without this giant glass lamb chop, so hopefully you can find a way of getting a better outcome,” Mr White said.

Speaking last, applicant representative Tarquin Leaver said the hotel would be “a massive benefit for me and thousands of people like me who visit Torquay”.

Several objectors spoke against the application’s proposal to develop the neighbouring green strip at the front of the site, but Mr Leaver said the initial design was open to change.

“We’re very open to what that giveback may be – we, of course, put forward a proposition but we’re more than willing to evolve that with the community and the council.”