THEY knocked it back at their council meeting in August this year.
But what will the Bass Coast Shire Councillors do this Wednesday when the application for a $150 million residential village in Cowes is presented to them again for decision.
Two months ago, Cr Rochelle Halstead called it “a glorified trailer park”.
Cr Ron Bauer said he had seen pictures of “old African slaver ships that have more room on them”.
He asked why council would allow “a sardine can project to go ahead without making a noise” about it.
Ultimately, the council voted 5:4 to reject the application to put 277 UMDs (Unregistered Moveable Dwellings) on a 12-hectare property at 299-325 Church Street, Cowes with Crs Halstead, Bauer, Kent, Le Serve and Tessari against and Crs Whelan, Rooks, Laing and Larke in favour.
The use of demountable buildings, admittedly in 23 highly sophisticated home designs of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom configurations, each with solar panels and high efficiency ratings, exploits a loophole to avoid council rates on individual dwellings, while keeping annual costs down for residents.
So, what has changed between August and October which might shift the balance in favour of the applicants, ASX200-listed company ‘Lifestyle Communities’ (ASX: LIC)?
According to the revised application to be presented to council this week, “the proposed plan indicates that a potential 256 UMDs could be placed on the land”, not 277 as originally asked for, that is 21 fewer.
As well as that, the developers have added five “parklets” to provide “convenient and useable passive open spaces” throughout the village and one larger park area next to the Settlement Road entrance to the site.
A large “Community Garden” with barbecues, outdoor tables and chairs, orchard and planter boxes was already part of the project.
Just one councillor needs to change his vote and at the August meeting, Cr Bruce Kent acknowledged being torn on the decision because “overall, I do like the idea but not shoulder to shoulder”.
Cr David Rooks, an Island Ward representative on the council, was unequivocal about the proposed development when moving the motion to support it in August:
“There's a lot to like about this residential village proposal for Cowes. We are an aging population here in Bass Coast, including on Phillip Island. Being an older population, this lifestyle village does meet the local demand that's there,” he said.
“That's already been proved by the old Penguin Resort which is now Palm Lake Resort, which is at full capacity and it's very hard to get onto that waiting list there.
“A lot of locals, the mature locals in our community will be able to move into this new residential village. And what that will also do is free up, there's around 280 residential village residences, and this will free up 280 houses potentially within our community.
“And this is a great outcome for our community where rental spaces, at the moment, are in short supply.
“People are very keen for our town boundaries to be kept as they are but we can have higher density living within those town boundaries. And this residential Village is a good example of that.
“Pleasingly, there's not a lot of impact on the community resources and infrastructure and, if anything, the developers are actually putting back into the community.
“There’s a fantastic list of things that are going to be part of this residential village, which the people staying there will get to enjoy including a cinema, gym, library, a shared tool supply, an indoor pool and an outdoors barbecue, seating areas, bowls, croquet grounds, outdoor pool and a pickle ball court, whatever that is.
“So, they're adding to the community, and they're also putting in some new pathways. They're putting in a new pathway down Bellavista Road, which will make its way to the foreshore and should the proposed Cowes to Ventnor trail go ahead, they will be able to walk all the way into town which will be leisurely walk through the Conservation Reserve which will take around 30 minutes, relieving them of the need to get into their cars.”
But Cr Rochelle Halstead said she believed it was an over-development of the site and Cr Bruce Kent said he didn’t believe it would lead to more rental options elsewhere in the town, as suggested by Cr Rooks, because be believed those going into the Lifestyle Communities’ village would be selling up before moving it.
So, it leaves the future of this $150 million project, and the addition of 256 dwellings, in the balance until Wednesday’s council meeting.
One thing seems certain, if the Lifestyle Communities’ company gets the go ahead, they’ll start work almost immediately, already with more than $1 billion in similar assets, including 20 completed or under-construction villages elsewhere in Victoria and a further six in the pipeline including villages at Pakenham, Clyde, Phillip Island, Ocean Grove and Leopold – 5391 dwellings in all.
