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Linfox Revises Its Plan For Phillip IslandBass Coast Shire Council today confirmed they have received revised plans for the Linfox Property Group development proposed on the land next to the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. By Bass Coast Shire Council - 2nd March 2007 - Back to News In September 2007, Council decided not to grant a permit to Linfox Property Group to build 506 villas and a golf course on the site.
This decision is being appealed at the Victorian Civil and Adminstrative Tribunal (VCAT) by the Linfox Property Group.
Council’s Planning and Enviroment Director, Andrew Mason said Council had received Linfox’s revised plans as they are one of the parties to the appeal.
"This revised proposal has been submitted to VCAT for consideration, not Council," said Mr Mason.
"We have received these plans as one of the parties to the VCAT appeal, along with other relevant bodies and objectors."
Mr Mason confirmed that the revised plans had a number of changes.
"The number of units has come down by 124, to 382," said Mr Mason.
"The number of villages has been reduced from three to one and the buildings are now concentrated in the middle section of the site.
"Changes have also been made to the layout of the golf course, to accommodate the new design."
Mr Mason said all parties would have until 30 March to indicate to VCAT if the revised proposal resolved their issues, or whether they wished to proceed to a hearing. On the basis of the responses from all parties, VCAT will make a decision on setting a formal hearing date.
"We have only just received these plans and haven’t had time to do a detailed analysis on the proposed changes," said Mr Mason.
"We will brief Council on the revised proposal as soon as possible."
Copies of the revised proposal will be available for viewing at Council’s Cowes and Wonthaggi Customer Service Centres.
Mr Mason said that under the VCAT order, anyone wanting to obtain copies of the revised plans would need to do this through the Linfox Property Group.
STATEMENT - AMENDMENT TO DEVELOPMENT PLANS
The following table provides a summary of changes proposed to the original development plans that were considered by Bass Coast Shire Council in 2006.
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PREVIOUS PLANS
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AMENDED PLANS |
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Development Proposed
Concept Plan that provides for: |
Development Proposed
Master Plan that provides for: |
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506 two-bedroom accommodation units, 18 hole golf course, practice fairway and associated buildings and works. |
382 two and three bedroom accommodation units, 18 hole golf course, practice fairway, associated buildings and works, Conference Centre to accommodate 300 persons and golf course Club House. |
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Location |
Location |
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Three ‘villages’ concept – Heath, Crest, Lakeside Villages situated in three separate locations on the land. |
Three ‘villages’ concept replaced with a development that has been consolidated in one location on the site.
The new site for the buildings is proposed in a location to the south-west of the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and west of the site of the approved Residential Hotel. The accommodation units are to be arranged in clusters. A single driveway serves each cluster.
The buildings have been re-sited and re-positioned east of the ridgeline to minimize visual impact when viewed from Pyramid Rock Road and sited to minimise visual impact when viewed from the settlement of Smiths Beach.
A review of the golf course layout along with changes to the location of buildings on the site have resulted in adjustments to the position of some fairways.
Practice fairway relocated to a position west of the Circuit Visitor Information Centre .
Introduction of golf course Club House and Conference Centre located to the west of the Residential Hotel and east of the proposed accommodation units.
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Built Form |
Built Form |
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The buildings have been clustered into three distinct villages on the site.
The Lakeside Village comprises 106 two bedroom units and is proposed to be designed around an existing water feature on the site.
The Crest Village comprises 200 two bedroom units and is proposed to be situated in proximity to a north-south ridgeline and situated to the south-west of the Circuit.
The Heath Village comprises 200 two bedroom units and is proposed to be situated in the southern portion of the site.
The design provides for two bedroom units with design flexibility to allow for the creation of one, two and three bedroom accommodation units.
Buildings vary in height from one to three levels and central courtyards are attached to various accommodation clusters.
Some car-parking has been located below buildings. Other car-parking areas remain exposed.
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The concept behind the built form is to follow the natural slope of the land in an easterly direction. This provides for low lying built form.
A diversity of accommodation types are indicated on the accompanying plans catering for a range of different guest profiles. These accommodation types are:
Type 1: Single Storey Courtyard Cluster Accommodation
Single driveway entry to cluster of five units. The buildings form an "L" shape which provides a private courtyard.
Type 2: Two Storey Courtyard Cluster Accommodation
This type also incorporates a single driveway entrance to a shared carpark minimising the impact of hard surfaces.
Type 3: Two Storey Linked Accommodation
These units feature a berm to provide easy access to both accommodation levels. Ground floor car-parking is cut into the natural ground level to minimise the visual impact of the building. The landscape treatment of walls at ground level is intended to screen the car-parks. The use of shared driveways for pairs of buildings minimises the impact of hard surfaces.
Type 4: Three Storey Linked Accommodation
These units are designed to have regard to the topography so that entry is facilitated directly into the living space. The three storey units adopt the same approach to carparking as the two storey accommodation by utilising the shared access arrangement.
Type 5: Loft Accommodation
This accommodation is designed at two levels with dining and living area at ground level and two bedrooms situated at mezzanine level within the roof slope.
All accommodation types have ample outdoor areas including outdoor decks with timber lattices to provide shade and screening and private garden areas. The stepped building forms are used to follow and reinforce the natural contours of the landscape.
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Materials |
Materials |
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External walls clad in masonry or rough-cast color washed in greys, dune browns, sandy creams and shades of white and incorporating feature stone-work. Hardwood shutters have been applied to the balconies, doors and entry decks. Anodised aluminium frames to doors and windows. |
Natural weathering considerations have informed the selection of the proposed building materials with a significant use of timber treated with weathering stains to provide for a blending effect with the surrounding landscape and low maintenance requirements.
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Access |
Access |
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Via the main Circuit access from Back Beach Road and through the site connecting each village. |
Via the main Circuit access from Back Beach Road. A circular road access through the development is proposed linking back to the main Circuit access road. Single driveway entrance points will serve clusters of accommodation units.
The circular road has been designed to follow the natural contours of the land ensuring minimal impact on the landscape. |
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Coastal Walk |
Coastal Walk |
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Coastal walk followed the coastal edge of the accommodation villages. |
The revised plan introduces a coastal walk that crosses between the cliff and the interior. The coastal walk has been designed to maintain a reserve either side of the track to ensure that there is no conflict between the users of the walking track and those playing golf. |
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com

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