A GROUP of residents opposed to the sale of public land in Torquay to facilitate a proposed retirement village are wary of the conditions attached to the Surf Coast Shire council\u2019s in-principle support of the deal.<\/p>\n
The Save Cypress Lane group do not want the shire to sell Cypress Lane and another parcel of nearby land to allow the $50 million development to go ahead.<\/p>\n
At their February 22 meeting, five of the nine councillors resolved to give in-principle support of the sale, subject to several conditions, including that the land could only be used \u201cfor the purpose of providing housing for seniors or people with a disability\u201d and that the \u201cplanning permit is approved by Surf Coast Shire council and is not subject to a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) appeal\u201d.<\/p>\n
Save Cypress Lane spokesperson Mark Mathews said the group of nearly 250 members appreciated the council\u2019s \u201cspirited debate\u201d on the issue, but the council could \u201ctake control of the situation simply by making a firm and final decision to not sell the land to the developer\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur group believes that Cypress Lane is not the best site for a high density retirement village and this site is much better suited to low density residential living.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Mathews said Cr Liz Pattison\u2019s suggestion that \u201can appeal to VCAT would veto the land sale\u201d did not address the circumstances of Cypress Lane being sold and the developer appealing to VCAT afterwards.<\/p>\n
\u201cCouncil did not discuss how they would prevent that from happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe resolution mentions a condition that ‘the land will be used for the purpose of providing housing for seniors or people with a disability\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we acknowledge that the council has an obligation to plan for housing for all members of our community, we hope that the council understands that this development is aimed squarely at the high-end over-55s market.<\/p>\n
\u201cSave Cypress Lane understands that this vote is not a final commitment for the sale of the land to the developer, but we feel it sets the direction that the council will go down.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it showed the council had the intent of \u201crestarting\u201d the planning application process but trying to control it this time by including conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not know how binding these conditions are and we have serious reservations as this is not an approach that anyone at the Surf Coast Shire has experience with.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that lawyers are being consulted by the shire on this approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are concerned this will become a long and expensive (for ratepayers) process that will ultimately end up at VCAT anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A GROUP of residents opposed to the sale of public land in Torquay to facilitate a proposed retirement village are wary of the conditions attached to the Surf Coast Shire council\u2019s in-principle support of the deal. The Save Cypress Lane group do not want the shire to sell Cypress Lane and another parcel of nearby […]<\/p>\n