Residents near the rugged Bass Strait coastline at Cape Schanck say a $135 million planned expansion to a popular tourist resort is far too big, and that its height will damage the coastal area’s delicate scenery.
The RACV wants to dramatically expand its Cape Schanck Resort, on the Mornington Peninsula, adding a conference centre with a 300-person capacity.
The plan, lodged with the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council late last year, has angered residents who say the size and height of the project is inappropriate for the area and will bring significant light pollution.
Planning rules were changed in the final days of the Napthine government to allow the project to go ahead – although the final sign-off for the new laws came during the caretaker period.
Local resident Paul A’Bell has campaigned against the proposal, which is being assessed by the council.
“They’re just steamrolling everyone,” Mr A’Bell said.
“This is a very pristine area and once they introduce one high-rise development, it will pave the way for others.”
Mr A’Bell said he and other residents did not want to stop the project. “We just want it to reflect the style of development in the area, and take into account the impact on current residents.”
Lynn Bowden is a councillor for the area, and said the project had first been presented to the community in 2013. She said the council had not yet made any ruling on the RACV’s plan.
“It might seem to some residents that it’s going through quickly but the council has not made a final decision,” she said.
The RACV argues that the height of the building will mean less land will be taken up by the facility, and it will also reduce the environmental impact.
The 7.6 hectare development zone is located on a saddle between two ridgelines with the goal of reducing the amount of vegetation to be cleared, as well as the impact on neighbouring properties.
Sue Blake, the RACV’s clubs and resorts manager, said there had been extensive consultation with both the council and the community on the plan since 2012.
She said the development was “sensitive to the coastal landscape, rolling dunes and the site’s undulating topography”.
The council has organised a mediation meeting for residents and the RACV next Tuesday, February 24, to discuss the plan.
This story first appeared in The Age
