RESORT SCALED BACK
Second stage of Apollo Bay development dropped
DEVELOPERS behind a proposed mega-resort at Apollo Bay appear to have scuttled plans for a massive extension of its $70 million project.
Oceans United Investment Group must also resubmit plans for its controversial luxury hotel after a planning hearing found inadequacies in its initial planning documents.
The scrapped second stage of the Barham River Rd project would have added a further 140 villas and included a major extension of the hotel.
But opponents say the original plan for a 180-room hotel and 82 luxury villas is too big.
According to Objectors Inc., a group against the proposal, a directions hearing of a State Government-appointed planning panel told Oceans United Investment Group to provide much more detail on a range of issues, including: THE plans and montages being inadequate; NO setbacks between buildings supplied; NO ‘Cut and Fill’ detail supplied, and the site information was inadequate; THE proposed building materials detail was inadequate and no samples supplied; and, THE location and extent of vegetation removal detail was inadequate.
The objectors’ spokesman, Pete Fillmore, said the process would now be delayed for a couple of months as the panel required the developer to re- submit the whole application.
“The proponent was told to go away, prepare a proper detailed professional application meeting all of the standard requirements of a normal planning application, and we can all sit down again and reassess the situation,” Mr Fillmore said.
Plans to turn more than 100 hectares of land on Barham River Rd, 3.6km southwest of the town, into the luxury hotel have drawn significant community opposition, with a public meeting in January drawing hundreds of people.
The hotel site is on land owned by former Colac mayor Frank Buchanan and his wife, Beryl.
Oceans United Investment Group was not available for comment yesterday.