Hotel Indigo off to VCAT

DESPITE the rejection of their plans by the Surf Coast Shire, the proponents of Hotel Indigo are disputing the ruling on several grounds at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

Barnes Capital’s application to build a five-storey, 128-room hotel at 2-4 Geelong Road and 48 Bell Street in Torquay was revealed in October 2018, and immediately met with public backlash.

The council refused the planning application in May this year and cited 11 reasons, including that the hotel exceeded the 12 metres and three storeys allowed in a General Residential Zone (GRZ).

Barnes Capital’s statement of grounds to VCAT attempts to counter each of these reasons.

It argues “the proposed height and number of storeys of the development within the GRZ is not prohibited” and that the application “appropriately responds” to the shire’s design and built form policies.

VCAT has overruled the shire’s decisions before, most notably with the RACV Torquay Resort.

The council rejected plans for a fifth storey to be built on the resort, but VCAT overruled the decision, arguing that the two surf clubs already protrude the skyline, and therefore it didn’t matter if the resort did too. Last week, South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman sent a letter to Planning Minister Richard Wynne, saying the hotel’s plans were highly problematic and asking for advice on the matter.

“The ‘Hotel Indigo’ has a number of significant planning and design issues that cannot be overlooked,” Mr Cheeseman wrote.

“The building violates the Surf Coast Shire Planning Scheme by exceeding the maximum height limit. The building is altogether too bulky and large to be consistent with the local planning scheme, regardless of its facade or appearance.”

Mr Cheeseman publicly stated his opposition to the planning permit soon after its release, as did independent candidate Damien Cole who at the time said the hotel’s design was at odds with Torquay’s character.

“The design of the building is a really nice design, if it was in Beijing or if it was in Dubai. But a fivestorey, 17-metre hotel, to be overhanging one of our main trading streets there, in what is still a pretty small coastal community – it just doesn’t suit the coastal character of the town.”

VCAT has scheduled a hearing for February 24, 2020.