Development approval for Narambi Park

THE Surf Coast Shire council has approved a $4 million planning application to subdivide and build 10 homes on the site of the former Narambi Caravan Park in Anglesea, clearing the way for one of the largest residential construction projects in years for the town.

Backing on to the Anglesea River, the Camp Road site on several titles is rare in the town because it’s largely hemmed in by the Great Otway National Park and Heathlands.

The approved applications are a scaled back version of previous plans for 12 two-storey dwellings with building heights of 9.04 metres.

Four objections were lodged to the original applications, relating to overlooking and privacy impacts, noise emissions, inconsistency with neighbourhood character, traffic congestion and safety concerns, visual bulk and dominant appearance of buildings, vegetation removal and excessive site coverage.

“Concerns about overlooking and traffic movements were addressed via amended conditions to the permits … the applications were deemed satisfactory regarding all other concerns,” shire general manager of place making and environment Chris Pike said.

Ten dwellings with three bedrooms and a double garage will now be built on lots of between 226 sqm and 461 sqm, with maximum building heights primarily at 7.5 metres or less.

It’s the second attempt by long term park owner Brendan Findlay to develop the site, in 2011 VCAT upheld a council decision to refuse his plans for an 18-lot subdivision.

Mr Findlay was quoted in media reports at the time as saying the knockback cost him three years work and $100,000.

Although the historic application did not include a plan for dwellings, the 2012 media report quoting Mr Findlay listed local planning laws as being a key factor in his application failure, specifically a requirement that for new builds to stay dry during a once-in-a-century storm they must be above predicted sea level rises.

The view was formed at the time that were subdivision of the site granted, subsequent developments may breach height restrictions.

“State and local policy relating to climate change has evolved from that time with the existence of updated mapping, policy and assessment processes,” council’s general manager of environment and development Ransce Salan said earlier this year when questioned on what’s changed in the 10 years between the applications.

Mr Salan also said that while zoning and overlay controls applicable at that time remain the same, there are now additional overlays that apply including neighbourhood character (which sets out preferred building height), bushfire, design and development.

“The applications are being assessed against all relevant policy and planning controls of the Surf Coast Planning Scheme, including clause 13.01 which directs councils to consider climate change impacts,” Mr Salan said.

Mr Findlay is developing the site through his business B & S Findlay Pty Ltd in conjunction with Michael Meyer, a development consultant and associate director with major developer Urbis.