THERE may not have been, pound for pound, a proposed development like it for generating so many words in opposition.
The proposed redevelopment of the old Kongwak Butter and Cheese Factory into a hospitality and accommodation venue has really lit up the small hamlet of 50 residents in such a way that 80 per cent of them, we’re told, don’t want it.
On Gippsland ABC Radio last week, Carolyn Rowson of the Save Kongwak Group even alleged that the plan for the iconic venue might block out the stars!
“Other impacts could include things like light pollution. With all this massive infrastructure and buildings there's going to have to be a lot of street lighting and lighting so that will affect not only the people but the birds and wildlife. We will probably won't be able to go outside and see the stars on a starry night anymore. Yeah, so it would really spoil the landscape, serenity and atmosphere of our little community,” Ms Rowson told the ABC.
As well as putting up signs around the town, typically with sentiments including ‘Save Kongwak’ and ‘Preserve our Valley of Peace’, they’ve also launched a petition on Change-org which has already attracted about 350 signatures of a target of 500 people against the project.
The developers want to modify the old butter and cheese factory, which hasn’t operated since the 1960s, to create a wedding and convention centre for 130 people, while constructing 32 cabins on adjoining land, plus 8 other accommodation rooms or cabins.
Here are the key issues, according to the Save Kongwak group:
- They want to knock down a local house and construct a carpark.
- For the other car park, they have indicated they will cut access roads through our historic Avenue of Honour, planted in 1918. Each tree represents a fallen or returned soldier from our district from the two world wars.
- The developers plan to construct 32 cabins in farmland but these paddocks are natural floodplains, and tributaries to the nearby Foster Creek.
- They plan to construct septic tank sewage processing in those paddocks less than 20 metres from a permanent tributary to the creek.
- The wedding venue will be constructed 40 metres from the nearest house. We object to the impact of noise, traffic, parking and expected patron behaviour on our tiny town.
- We expect the late night trading, loud music, alcohol, litter and the sounds of party-goers traversing our tiny town to their accommodation will ruin the serenity of Kongwak
- The wedding venue alone will overwhelm the population of our community by 260%, in addition, the cabins will swell our population by another 168 %.
- The sewage processing required, to be located in farmland, will exceed the sewage processing capacity of the entire town many times over.
- All infrastructure created in the project - roads, curbs, gutters, lighting and other infrastructure will drive up rates for all South Gippsland residents.
“We don't want this development in our town,” they say.
“We are not opposed to any development, just to the size and scope of this development. We are for small-scale development including a restaurant, cafe, art gallery and general store but we oppose a large wedding/convention centre venue, late night trading and live music and oppose street facing car parks, short-stay cabins and effluent processing on farmland and any impact to our Avenue of Honour.”
They don’t believe the Kongwak Butter Factory [KBF] Infrastructure and Business Development should have received $500,000 from the State Government’s Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund (RJIF) Investment Fast Track Fund projects initiative.
And they want the planning permit for the project removed from the direct application stream through the Victorian government Development Facilitation Program (DFP) and returned to the South Gippsland Shire Council process so that local residents can have their say and the project will be subject to conditions generated by local knowledge, local conditions, and competing local interests.
“We're not opposed to development of any kind, just the size and scope of this development is just way too big for this town,” Ms Rowson on Gippsland ABC Radio last week.
“We are a small settlement, designated as a hamlet by the South Gippsland Council. We only have about 50 residents. There are no town services here like water, gas or sewerage. We're all on tank water and septic systems.
“So, for this town, this project is not in alignment with the South Gippsland Shire Council's strategic plan for no further development due to the lack of infrastructure. It's also not in a designated tourist zone. So, it's a great idea but really it's in an inappropriate location.
“We would be very happy to support a smaller project or proposal, like a cafe or a small store, a little gallery or something that operates during business hours, and on weekends, like the Kongwak market which has been so well supported by the community because it's once-a-week and it doesn't have a huge environmental footprint on the land.
“We just think that it would absolutely destroy the peace and tranquillity of our little town, of our little hamlet. We'll have a whole lot of extra traffic, noise and parking issues. There'll be late night trading with obviously alcohol, and you know potential noise people leaving late at night.
“Also, we're very concerned about the environmental impacts on the Foster Creek because where they're planning to build these cabins is on a natural floodplain so effluent may end up in the creek as we know the areas around here are very wet throughout the year and the land often floods.”
Application not yet called in
A spokesperson for the Kongwak revitalisation project has denied their application has been included in the direct approval process set up by the State Government, not yet anyway.
“The project is progressing well. As you’ll be aware we are currently exploring our planning options including the Victorian Government Development Facilitation Program, noting that we have not yet been accepted into this process,” said Gemma Cosgriff and Damien Backholer this week.
“We continue to keep the community and interested stakeholders updated and these are available on our website. There is nothing further to report at this stage.”
