Final chance for community input on bowls club proposal

THE Torquay Bowls Club will hold a final public information session about its expansion bid this weekend, before the first phase of consultation on the project wraps up on Monday (June 30).

The club has been lobbying for years for help to add a third bowling green to its site in The Esplanade, where it is located within Taylor Park, and in May unveiled a revised vision for the $4 million project.

These plans, which include a bigger clubhouse, extended decking area and new car park in addition to the third green, follow an initial iteration of the proposal which suggested connecting the bowls club’s car park with that of the neighbouring Taylor Park.

This suggestion sparked concerns from some community groups, including the Greater Torquay Alliance and the Friends of Taylor Park, over the removal of vegetation and potential for traffic congestion, and was later abandoned by the club.

 

 

The project is now confined to the club’s existing leased area, with the third green to be below standard size which, if the project moves forward, will restrict its use to barefoot and corporate bowls events.

“We’ve got a high demand for the barefoot bowls and for corporate bowls and for other bowls events, so that’ll satisfy that requirement,” club chair Peter Anderson said of the altered project vision.

“[The expansion] is not something that’s going to happen tomorrow. We have to make sure we get the right permits in place, because we’ve got over 420 members now and we’ve got over 50,000 visitors a year … and we’re just full to the boots.”

To move ahead, the project will require approval from the Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), with the consultation process currently underway a key stipulation of that approval.

 

 

Mr Anderson said more than 200 people had engaged with the process so far, thanked the public for their interest, and encouraged people to consider the various reports, available through the club’s website, that have been compiled in support of the project.

An information session is scheduled for tomorrow (Sunday, June 29) from 11am at the club.

An application for a planning permit, lodged with the Surf Coast Shire on May 30, is progressing at the same time, with its current status indicating “further information” has been sought from the club.

“When more information is required for planning permit applications, it is because not all information required by the Surf Coast Planning Scheme has been supplied,” Gabby Spiller, the shire’s acting general manager of placemaking and environment, said.

 

 

“Whilst we are unable to go into detail regarding specific information required for this application, once the information is supplied, the application will be advertised and referred to relevant agencies.”

This will involve another round of community consultation.

“If any submissions are received, they will be considered as part of council’s decision on the planning application,” Ms Spiller said.

For more information about the proposal or to provide feedback, head to torquaybowlsclub.com or email [email protected]