AN UNPOPULAR caravan park proposal for Freshwater Creek rejected by the Surf Coast Shire is being put forward again, albeit at a much smaller size.<\/p>\n
Last week, the shire advertised that it had received a planning permit application from Graeme Jacobs to resubdivide the Farming Zone land at 350 Coombes Road and 1200 Ghazeepore Road for an $8.5 million camping and caravan park.<\/p>\n
The site is the same as the one proposed in 2014 for the 48-hectare Torquay Eco Park, which received 224 objections from the community and had its planning permit refused by the Surf Coast Shire.<\/p>\n
The applicants took the matter to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which upheld the shire\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n
According to the latest planning permit application (prepared by NSW firm Habitat Planning), the proposal has a development footprint of 8.5 hectares so would be 82 per cent smaller.<\/p>\n
It would contain 33 one-, two- and three-bedroom cabins, 15 powered glamping (safari) tents and 65 powered caravan sites, powered and unpowered camping sites and unpowered overnight stay sites.<\/p>\n
This will be supported by amenity blocks, bathrooms, showers, laundry, toilets and indoor and outdoor barbecues\/kitchen.<\/p>\n
It would also include \u201ca wide range of recreational, leisure facilities and amenities\u201d such as swimming, waterslide and wading pools, a skate park, a BMX track, tennis courts, and a lawn bowls and bocce court.<\/p>\n
A shuttle bus service would also be provided \u201cin order to link the park with the nearby Torquay town centre and Surf Coast Highway commercial areas\u201d.<\/p>\n
The application states the motivation for building the caravan park is \u201cbased on a significant decline in recent years as to the availability of affordable and reasonably priced tourist accommodation on Victoria’s west coast, particularly in Torquay\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll available land within the defined settlement boundary of Torquay that could potentially accommodate a larger scale tourist facility has either been converted to residential or commercial use or earmarked to accommodate future urban development, reflecting the highest and best use of urban zoned land.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the notice of application, the shire will not decide on the planning permit before December 27.<\/p>\n