2019-09-16 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   16 SEPTEMBER 2019




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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                    16 SEPTEMBER 2019

                PBCAI submits that there is a considerable difference between the short-term visitor
                accommodation provided in a Motel and that provided by the dwellings which have
                been approved for this development.
                Firstly, the Motel units are one and two bedroom units. The dwellings are 3 and 4
                bedroom dwellings and some are even being advertised as 5 bedroom dwellings.
                Secondly, the price for a Motel unit would vary considerably from that for one of
                these 3, 4 and 5 bedroom dwellings. The dwellings are advertised for sale from
                $750,000 to $1,025,000. (Kamala from $750,000, Marram from $750,000, Wallum
                from $915,000, Lily from $925,000 and Saltbush from $1,025,000) which would
                suggest investors may require a rate of return much higher than a Motel unit price.
                Thirdly, Motel units are available by the night whereas 3, 4 and 5 bedroom dwellings
                usually have a minimum number of nights, frequently exceeding 7. They frequently
                require payment in advance and also payment of a security deposit.
                THE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS

                The so called “Construction Impacts” of the dwellings on the operation of the Motel, if
                completed in Stage 1, have not changed since Thomco agreed to the Motel being
                given priority in mid 2017. Giving the Motel priority removed one reason for the
                rejection of Thomco’s development application, as it gave certainty to the provision
                of short-term visitor accommodation.

                Thomco obviously did not want to raise any significance of the construction impacts
                while it sought to have the rejection of its development application overturned by the
                appeal.
                Thomco was prepared to settle the appeal as recently as 21 June 2019 without any
                reference to these newly raised “Construction Impacts’.
                NOT A MINOR CHANGE UNDER SECTION 78

                PBCAI submits that this approval requires Thomco to build the Motel with priority
                (Stage 1) because of Council’s and the community's need for the short-term visitor
                accommodation provided by a Motel.
                For Thomco to propose to vary this recent approval to firstly build the 20 by 3, 4 and
                5 bedroom dwellings is a considerable change, not a “minor change’, from what was
                approved.
                PBCAI submits that the proposal to build the 20 by 3, 4 and 5 bedroom dwellings
                first, without any guarantee that the short-term visitor accommodation provided by
                the Motel will be built requires public notification. Without the Motel, and the short-
                term visitor accommodation this is a substantially different development. It is almost
                the small lot housing development Thomco initially sought.
                For Thomco to propose to build the 20 by 3, 4 and 5 bedroom dwellings first, without
                providing any guarantee that it intends to build the Motel is disingenuous when it is

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