Surf Club revamp approved
A THREE-STOREY $5 million expansion of Anglesea’s Surf Life Saving Club has received a tick of approval from Surf Coast Shire councillors.
Under the proposal, one section of the clubhouse will be demolished and replaced with a state-of-the-art facility — 3.6m taller than the current facility.
Club members said the current building was “beyond re- pair” and inadequate to accommodate its growing Nippers program.
Cr Margot Smith acknowledged that Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club was one of Victoria’s largest in justifying her vote to approve the redevelopment.
“The main thing for this club is that they provide a safe beach — they are a critical part of what we deliver down here,” she said.
The plan has drawn scepticism from some nearby resi- dents concerned potential summer chaos.
While Cr Smith was mindful of the potential impact on parking and traffic concerns, she said it was ultimately a worthwhile decision.
The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning are also backing the proposal.
Club president Tom Cullen said the upgrade had been 50 years in the making. about parking
“We need to have purposebuilt facilities to accommodate our members in a safe and appropriate way so that they can serve the Anglesea community and keep people safe,” he said.
“Structurally, it (the current facility) is really at the end of its life.”
A council officer’s report claimed the “perceived detrimental impacts” of the redevelopment — including loss of vegetation, parking access and construction disturbances — were outweighed by the “net community benefit”. However, resident Tina Hardwick, who lives near the surf club, is concerned about the potential for “parking paralysis” in summer.
“There’s no plans to increase parking, which is a bit of a concern,” she said.
“It can get very busy in the warmer months.
“I would have thought they’d have a responsibility to create more parking spaces with the increase in the size of the club.”